Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
Bredakirk, Eday
Grid reference
HY 555 362 (accurate position)
Six-figure easting & northing
355500 103620
Latitude
59.210539226327434
Longitude
-2.7794056689963886
Altitude (metres)
15
County
Orkney
Nearby places
St Mary's Church, Eday (2.26 miles)
Eday, parish (Orkney) (2.26 miles)
Peterkirk, Westray (ORK) (4.19 miles)
Point of Peterkirk, Westray (ORK) (4.3 miles)
Hannah's Kirk (4.65 miles)
Object Classification
Settlement
Is linear feature?
No
Notes
The 'kirk' is suggestive, but the 'Breda' element may not refer to the saint, Bride or Brigid. However, it should be noted that when John earl of Carrick was granted the island and lands of Eday in 1632, and the lordship created a free burgh of barony, two fair days were granted, ‘viz 11 June nundinis Sancti Petri nuncupand. et 5 Oct., lie Sanct-Bryds-fair nuncupand., cum tholoniis, anchoragiis etc.’ (RMS viii no. 1894). Neither of these dates corresponds to the feasts of the saints so named, so it is likely that there were older fairs on their feastdays which were moved to more ‘convenient’ dates in 1632 (or perhaps earlier) but kept their names. This suggests that at least there was an annual celebration of Bride's day on Eday, and that might support the suggestion that Bredakirk is 'Bride's Kirk'.
Names
1 head-name linked to this place ?Bredakirk
Head name
Bredakirk
Place
Bredakirk, Eday
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Current
Is this a current OS form? ?
Yes
Is this the original referent of the place?
Yes
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
Bradakirk 1843, OS 6 inch first edn.
Historic formBradakirk Head nameBredakirk PlaceBredakirk, Eday Certainty that this name applies to this placeCertain SourceOS 6 inch first edn. Date of citation1843 x 1882 Notes on the context of this place-nameMid to late 19th c. |
Source code
OS 6 inch first edn.
Source title
Ordnance Survey 6 Inch to the Mile, First Edition
Notes
Mid to late 19th c.
Saints in this place-name
Brig, Brigit, Bride (ns) (maybe)