St Clement's church on the Isle of Harris

St Clement’s church is a Scottish church located on the island of Harris. Beautiful, and in excellent condition, it dates from the end of the 15th century. Built for the clan chiefs of the MacLeods of Harris, the church is dedicated to Pope Clement I, from whom it takes its name. A small architectural jewel, it is a notable place to discover if you pass by the island of Harris!

Visit St Clement’s church

Architecture

Quite classical, the church of St Clement has a cruciform plan, with nave, towers and bell tower. The whole, charming as it could be, is bathed in a country atmosphere, with a view on the ocean and on rugged green expanses.

Add to this a small cemetery adjacent to the building, with tombstones here and there, and you will discover a picturesque and authentic church!

Lost in the wilderness, the church has one of the most famous wall tombs in Scotland: that of Alasdair Crotach MacLeod, 8th head of the MacLeod clan. Located south of the chancel, the tomb is crowned by an arch and decorated with sculptures of biblical design. The whole, of a great finesse, is worth the detour.

Note that this is not the only remarkable tomb in the church: St Clement’s church also houses the tomb of the 9th chief of the clan, Alasadair or William, son of Alexander. It is located in the south wall of the nave and dates from 1539.

In the south transept, there is a third grave, probably belonging to John MacLeod of Minginish, the 10th chief.

Note that there are five other tombstones leaning against the north transept wall.

The cemetery surrounding the church also contains a number of MacLeod graves.

A church open to visitors

St Clement’s church is a typical example of a small Scottish church, with its simple architecture and its location that gives pride of place to nature.

Today, the church is remarkable, excellently preserved and still attracts thousands of visitors each year to explore the Isle of Harris.

It takes a minimum of 35/45 minutes to visit and tour the church.