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Canisbay Kirk / Church is 2 and a half miles
west of John O Groats, 17 miles east of
Thurso,
next to the main A836 road, on the far north
coast of Scotland.
The Kirk was built from the 1200s, most
visited to view the Grave Stone of John O Groat
just inside the front door, and the Graves of
the Sinclair's, Earls of Caithness at the north
side of the Kirk. Postcode: KW1 4YJ.
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The Queen Mother worshiped here when she was
staying at the Castle of Mey that she owned
from 1952 - 2002.
The Castle of Mey was built for George
Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness in the mid
1500s, 4 miles east of Canisbay Kirk.
Canisbay Kirk History
600s - a Chapel dedicated to St Drostan is
thought to have been on this spot.
1200s - the original Canisbay Kirk was built
here.
1455 - William Sinclair became the 1st Earl
of Caithness, with the Earls having vast lands
and wealth in the Caithness area, also other
areas in Scotland such as at Rosslyn Castle and
Chapel by Edinburgh, and Kirkaldy Castle in
Fife.
1400s late - Jan de Groot, a Dutchman, began
running a Sail Ferry between this area and the
Orkney Islands.
1500s - Jan de Groot died with him being
burried at Canisbay Kirk.
1566 - the Castle of Mey, also known as
Barrogill Castle, was built for George
Sinclair, 4th Earl of Caithness, 4 miles east
of Canisbay Kirk.
1600s - Canisbay Kirk was rebuilt with
little of the original Church left.
Jan de Groot's grave was found around that
time. His Grave Stone is now just inside the
front door, not sure where his grave is.
1792 - the Sinclair's began removing
crofters from their lands in Caithness to make
way for large scale Sheep Farming. This had
began in Argyll in the early 1700s, then in the
Highlands around the 1740s.
1952 - the Queen Mother bought the Castle of
Mey to use as a Holiday Home. The Queen Mother
and Royals visiting the Castle used Canisbay
Kirk for worship.
2002 - the Queen Mother died. The Castle of
Mey can now be visited throughout the
summer.
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