Disert Graveyard

Located in the W half of an enclosure (DG084-001011-), which is enclosed within an ecclesiastical enclosure (DG084-001001-). This graveyard is not indicated on the 1836 OS 6-inch map; on the 1907 edition it is indicated as a rectilinear enclosure, with ‘Altar’ (DG084-001008-) marked in the N half, but it is not identified as a graveyard. It consists of a roughly D-shaped area (34m NE−SW; 12m NW−SE), which encompasses the W third of an oblong enclosure (DG084-001011-), which is in turn enclosed within the S half of the larger oval ecclesiastical enclosure (DG084-001001-). The curving side at SW−N is defined by the low, sod-covered wall footings of the oblong enclosure, and the straight side at SE is defined by a ruined stone wall on NE−SW axis, which subdivides the oblong enclosure slightly W of centre. The interior is uneven, undulating and grass-covered; it slopes down to the NW in the N half. Grave markers consist of low, uninscribed upright stones, concentrated in a broad band extending roughly E−W across the centre of the graveyard; at least 34 were noted in this area. A discrete group of three low, upright stones were noted in the N of the graveyard, immediately NW of the altar (Beglane et al. 2016, Appendix 2). At the N end of the graveyard, there is a roughly built altar (DG084-001008-), located against rock outcropping. A penitential cairn (DG084-001005-) is located immediately to E of the altar, and two others (DG084-001006-; DG084-001007-) are located in the S half of the graveyard. On the NW boundary of the graveyard, there is a raised stony feature (5.8m x 1.8m; H 0.6m), and in the SW quadrant, there is a subrectangular depression (1.3m NE−SW; 1.9m NW−SE; D c. 0.3m), bounded by stone; the significance of these features is uncertain. (Beglane et al. 2016, Appendix 2). A cross-inscribed stone (DG084-0012003-) is said to have been removed from the graveyard. According to tradition, the graveyard was used as a community graveyard up to the 19th century, with occasional burials taking place into the early 20th century, and it was used for burial of unbaptized babies until the mid-20th century (Beglane et al. 2016, 15-16). It was also a traditional practice to collect soil from the graveyard, particularly from adjacent to the altar, as the soil was reputed to rid houses of rats (Ibid., 19). Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 8 August 2017