Scotland Guide
Skye and the Western Isles
Roghadal
A mile or so from Renish Point, the southern tip of Harris, is the old port of ROGHADAL (Rodel), where a smattering of ancient stone houses lies among the hillocks surrounding the dilapidated harbour where the ferry from Skye used to arrive. On top of one of these grassy humps is St Clement's Church (Tur Chliamainn), burial place of the MacLeods of Harris and Dunvegan in Skye. Dating from the 1520s, the church's bare interior is distinguished by its wall tombs, notably that of the founder, Alasdair Crotach (also known as Alexander MacLeod), whose heavily weathered effigy lies beneath an intriguing backdrop and canopy of sculpted reliefs depicting vernacular and religious scenes. Look out, too, for the sheila-na-gig (a naked pre-Christian fertility goddess) halfway up the south side of the church tower; unusually, she has a brother displaying his genitalia too, below a carving of St Clement on the west face.