Catherine/ Katherine (14th and 4th centuries)

Catherine of Siena and Katherine of Alexandria both have their main centres in Edinburgh but with other dedications throughout the country. As Catherine of Siena is a 14th century saint and most of the sites that we are interested in pre-date this, they must refer to Katherine of Alexandria, who was martyred in the 4th century.

There is a historical link between Caithness and Katherine of Alexandria. Towill tells the legend of William St Clair of Roslyn, at the time of Robert the Bruce, who prayed to St Katherine to help him to catch a white deer before it escaped across a river as its escape would mean his death. A hound appeared and turned the deer back. The Sinclair family had belonged to Roslyn before becoming the hereditary earls of Caithness. As Caithness has several sites dedicated to Katherine, it is possible that the Sinclair family had a special devotion to this saint, explaining William’s instinctive appeal to her.

There was a convent and well at Murkle, close to the shore, referred to as Cloisters by the locals and near a place later called Redland’s well. There was also a monastery on the South side of the bay at Murkle House. Another joint convent, well and monastery dedicated to Katherine lay to the West of the manse at Watten. Murkle was an important political site, possibly because of these religious houses – Earl John of Caithness gave his oath to a representative of King Edward 1 of England there in 1296 and Earl Arnfinn died there, possibly on the orders of his wife, Ragnhild.

There is a chapel dedicated to Katherine at Gerston, on the outskirts of Halkirk and possibly at the Sibster Burn near Georgemas Junction station. Some sources also mention a chapel dedicated to Katherine near the bishop’s palace in Halkirk, near Quoycrook.

See Towill p. 120, Cat p. 37, Ecc Hist p. 44, 45, 57, 60 and 334, Inv  no. 490 and 491.

Ciaran (d. 617/618)

Ciaran was a follower of Donan and was one of the Eigg martyrs. He founded chapels and burial grounds at Strathmore and Dalnawillan, Caithness. The Daldawillan site is close to the upper reaches of the Thurso River, near where the Glutt and Rumsdale Rivers join it. He is also associated with the site at Rangag where the remains of a broch or castle can be seen from the road, and Latheron, where there was a chapel near the shore and a carved cross.

See Cat p. 33, Woodside p. 50, Ecc Hist p. 62, Inv no. 176.

Clement (d. c.100)

There is a link between St Clement and Danish seafarers, as this dedication is found in several fishing towns on the East coast which had trading links with Denmark in the early Middle Ages (including East Anglia, where there are painted screens depicting him). This suggest that the Clement in question is the 4th bishop of Rome as he is said to have been killed by being thrown into the sea with an anchor round his neck and angels then made a tomb for his body on the sea bed. Clement is the patron saint of Dingwall, which was a trading post for Danish seafarers and whose name has Viking links.

Colman (7th century)

Colman is a very common name throughout Scotland, Ireland and England. Here we refer to the Colman who was a monk on Iona before becoming the 3rd bishop of Lindisfarne. After the Synod of Whitby he resigned rather than accept the new dates for Easter. He returned to Iona and then went to Tarbet, Easter Ross where he built a chapel dedicated to S Aidan. This was later changed to his own name. He is also linked with Kintyre and Caithness, where he founded a chapel at Old Reay close to the sea. He is linked to the Reay parish church that was in use until 1739. He may be buried at Portmahomack, whose name means ‘Colman’s Port’.

See Towill p. 40, Woodside p. 58, Ecc Hist p. 39 and 80.

Colum

There is much confusion over who is being referred to here as some sources assume that ‘Colum’ is a corruption of ‘Columba’ or ‘Colman’ or even ‘Coomb’. However there was a Colum who worked on Orkney, so the sites at Dunnet Links and Olrig (St Coomb), and Dirlot (Columba) may well have originally been founded by Colum.

See Cat p. 35 Ecc Hist p. 83.

Columba/Columcille (d.597)

Columba was probably born in 521 and came to Iona in 563 or soon after. He studied under St Finnian. May have founded the monasteries at Durrow and Derry. He was a political exile as much as a religious one and continued to be involved in politics at some level in both Ireland and Scotland. He returned to Ireland several times. He visited King Bridei at his fortress at Craig Phatric, Inverness, when he asked for safe passage for Cormac who was seeking a hermitage, possibly on Orkney, and for others of his followers.

Dedications to Columba occur in several places North of the Great Glen, although Columba himself did not travel past Inverness. Some of these dedications may be to sites founded by his followers, others may be to saints with similar-sounding names, as discussed above. The so-called Columban monasteries and communities along the Moray Firth may possibly be attributed to St Colm of Buchan, one of ‘The Drostan Three’. Other Columban-related sites include Eilean nan Naomh,( Isle of Saints, off the mouth of the Naver), where there was a monastery; Rig of Columba at Skerray on the mainland opposite the above island; a chapel and well at Dirlot, Halkirk as there is a Tobar Choluim-Cille at Dirlot, suggesting the dedication is to Columba (but see the entry for Colum above); a chapel and well at Kilchalumkil, Strathbrora, Clyne and Clachan Chollumchille in Invermoriston.. Columba’s missionaries may also have visited Orkney and Shetland.

See Towill p. 42, Cat p. 33, Woodhouse p. 17, .MacQuarrie p. 74, Ecc Hist p. 62, 83, 314, 335, Inv no. 169 and 170.

Comgan (pr. Cowan)/Congan/Coan/Cowan (8th century)

Comgan ruled as a prince in Leinster for a few years. He came to Scotland with his widowed sister, Kentigerna, and her son, Filian. They settled in the Lochalsh area, where his nephew built a church in his honour.  He then moved to Turriff but was buried on Iona. Dedications include Kilchowan in Kiltearn (Ross and Cromarty), Kilchoan or Kilcongan (Isle of Seil), St Coan in Strath (Skye), Kilchoan, Ardnamurachan and Knoydart, 

See Towill p. 51, Woodside p. 63.

Coomb/Colm (? 6th century)

While some dedications to Coomb/Colm are assumed to be to Columba, they are more likely to be to either St Colum of Orkney or Colm of Buchan, a follower of Drostan. A site which seems to be associated with Colm is that near the Burn of Mid-sands, Dunnet, also called Links of Old Tain. This site was buried under sand during a storm. When the Links road was being built it was slightly turned to avoid the site.

See Ecc Hist p. 45, 83, 314 and 333, Inv no. 331.

Cormack

Sources differ on whether Cormack was a follower of Columba or Adamnon, as both are credited with persuading King Brude to give him the regulus of Orkney. He may have settled on Colme Isle (Eilean nan Naomh) and dedicated it to Columba.

See Cat p. 40-41.

Curitan/Boniface (c. 7th century)

Curitan had the religious name ‘Boniface’. Just as he had changed his own name, so he did not hesitate to change the names of chapels dedicated to the early Celtic saints. His favourite dedication was to Peter, the most notable being at Rosemarkie on the Black Isle. Many miracles there are attributed to him. He was ordained a bishop and spent the rest of his life at Rosemarkie. Later, the cathedral seat was moved to Fortrose. Dedications include Glen Urquhart, Avoch, in a fair at Loth called Carden and perhaps at Eyartan in Braemore, Latheron.

See Towill p. 57, Cat p. 36, Woodside p. 48.

Cuthbert (7th century)

St Cuthbert came from the borders and is best known as the Prior and Abbot of Lindisfarne. There is one site dedicated to him in Caithness. It lies 200 yards ESE of Upper Haster farm house at the lower end of a cultivated field on the Burn of Haster and about 100 yards W of the Achairn burn.

See Towill p. 61, Cat p. 37, Ecc Hist p. 56 and 315, Inv no. 593.