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The Lady Kirk at Pierowall is one of two ruined churches on the island of Westray. It was built in 1674, on the foundations of the 13th-century church.
The church is mostly complete with the exception of the roof. Many of the walls stand to a high height, but some of it is 17th century built on the foundations of an earlier church. The south wall of the nave is largely from the original church. The nave altogether is rectangular, with a largely complete gable at its west end, topped off by a bellcote. A line of holes in the gable suggest there was originally a gallery at this end. The east end of the 1674 church formed a laird's aisle, erected on the site of the 13th-century chancel. The laird's aisle and the nave are separated by an arch that may have copied (or perhaps even reused parts of) the earlier chancel arch.
There are many different tomb stones in the church and its graveyard, many with clear inscriptions. One example, located within the laird's aisle is a memorial in red marble to The memory of James Stewart of Bruce, the munificent donor of the Stewart Endowment, died 25 June 1858. Nearby, in a transparent case to protect it from the elements is the large pink graveslab of Michael Balfour and others, dating back to 1657 and beautifully engraved. Next to it is another graveslab, of Helen Alexander, who died in 1676.
References:The stone church of Gamla Uppsala, built over the pagan temple, dates from the early 12th century. Due to fire and renovations, the present church is only a remnant of the original cathedral.
Before the arrival of Christianity in Sweden, Gamla Uppsala was the seat of Swedish kings and a ceremonial site known all over northern Europe. The settlement was home to royal palaces, a royal burial ground, and a great pagan temple. The Uppsala temple, which was described in detail by Adam of Bremen in the 1070s, housed wooden statues of the Norse gods Odin, Thor and Freyr. A golden chain hung across its gables and the inside was richly decorated with gold. The temple had priests, who sacrificed to the gods according to the needs of the people.
The first Christian cathedral was probably built in the 11th century, but finished in the 12th century. The stone building may have been preceded by a wooden church and probably by the large pagan temple.