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Chapel of Brims, Hoy is a small stone chapel situated on the island of Hoy in Orkney, standing upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone of Devonian age. The underlying geology comprises conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone deposited in ancient freshwater lakes during the Middle Devonian period, approximately 390 million years ago. These durable red sandstone formations have long provided building material for Orkney's structures and weathered into the rounded, heather-clad hills characteristic of Hoy's landscape.
The chapel represents a modest ecclesiastical building of medieval origin, reflecting the religious settlement and Christian heritage of Orkney's islands. Its simple construction and remote location on Hoy suggest it served a local community or monastic purpose during its period of use. The site's exposure to Atlantic weather has left its stone substantially weathered, yet the basic structure remains identifiable.
The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10977, recognising its significance as part of Orkney's medieval religious heritage. Standing within sight of Hoy's distinctive moorland and coastal vistas, the chapel occupies a landscape that has endured dramatic geological transformation and continuous human settlement across millennia.
Chapel of Brims, Hoy is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10977. View the official record →
Chapel of Brims, Hoy is a small stone chapel situated on the island of Hoy in Orkney, standing upon bedrock of Middle Old Red Sandstone of Devonian age. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM10977.
Chapel of Brims, Hoy is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM10977.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including The Skeo, broch, Brims, Hoy (0.3 km), Stromabank Hotel, anti-aircraft battery, radar site and camp 150m NW of (3.4 km), Quoy, anti-aircraft battery (WW2) and radar 220m WSW of (4.1 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Chapel of Brims, Hoy's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Chapel of Brims, Hoy stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.