Description

Circa 1782, incorporating earlier material. 5-bay; rectangular-plan Church of Scotland church with small rectangular-plan porch centred on W elevation. Plain symmetrical design with narrow round-arched windows to main block. Harled with stone dressings. Coped gables.

S ELEVATION: 5-bay; window to each bay. Porch set back to outer right; entrance to right; window to left.

N ELEVATION: 2-bay (widely spaced); window to each bay.

W ELEVATION: steps up to round-arched main entrance to centre of gable end; 2-leaf boarded timber door. Flanking windows.

E ELEVATION: gable end of porch projects to centre. Window set back to left of gable end of main block. Small bellcote at apex of gable (roof missing).

Multi-pane fixed light timber windows with 'Gothick' Y tracery at apex of astragals. Welsh slate roof (Caithness slate to porch).

INTERIOR: Narrow entrance vestibule at W end. Boarded timber dado throughout. Splayed reveals to windows. Plain boarded timber pews. Panelled octagonal pulpit. Suspended sounding board with conical ball-finialled apex. 2 stained glass windows at E end (flanking pulpit): one of Saint Paul and one of the Good Shepherd; 1913. Small organ by Robert Dunlop of Glasgow.

WAR MEMORIAL: probably early 1920's. Square-plan on stepped base. Pink granite (2 contrasting shades). Slightly tapered pier with crenellated cornice; cross above (inscribed 'IHS' - Greek abbreviation 'Jesus') on rounded plinth. E side of pier inscribed with names 'OF THOSE WHO FROM THIS ISLAND PARISH GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918'. Fatalities of 2nd World War recorded on base.

BOUNDARY WALL: coursed rubble wall, partially with slab coping, encloses rectangular-plan churchyard to S, E and W. 2 gateways to W; both with square-plan gatepiers; that nearest church with deep rubble pyramid coping above band course; identical single pier to pedestrian gateway to E of church; all with replacement wrought-iron gates.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. A plain intact church, probably largely dating from the late 18th century. According to the Statistical Account of 1796 "The church of Flota had stood for many years without a roof; but, about 12 years ago, it was roofed in, being thatched with heather, and furnished with new seats and new windows". The New Statistical Account of 1845 describes it as "an older building (than the church of Walls) ... too small for the population, containing only about 180". It is the only church on the island. According to Gifford it may be 17th century in origin. The gravestones in the churchyard date back to at least the 1820's.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56623747

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]