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MHG3595 - Chapel, Burial Ground and Holy Well - Midtown

Summary

No summary available.

Type and Period (3)

Protected Status

Full Description

Nothing remains of the old chapel at Midtown, but the name "Field of the Chapel", and a well close by called the "Priest's Well", and a broken stone which might have been a font.
Grave stones were seen when the ground was cultivated and marks of graves can still be seen.
ISSFC 1902

(NH 6585 3442) Old walling has been found in this area, and excavations are taking place to see if they are part of the chapel.
At the Mains of Bunachton (NH 6570 3488) and Midtown (N 6558 3466) are stones, both of which are claimed to be the font stone of the chapel. Informatiom from A L F Rivet (assistent archaeological officer) 3 May 1963; Information from E Meldrum to OS.

NH 65783439. Recent excavations at this site have revealed the outlines of rectangular building with slightly rounded ends. The building is oriented NE - SW and measures 11.0m. and 7.0m. The dry-stone walls are 1.0m. thick and faced with large stones set on end. The wall is best preserved on the SW and NW side where the inside height of the wall is 0.6m. There is a stone lined entrance 0.6m. wide in the middle of the SE side; a single stone blocks the inner end of the entrance passage. Inside the building in the SW half is a setting of stones embedded in the ground, not unlike a cist but probably bogus. The peculiar entrance and the cist like setting of stones seem out of place in this site.
From enquiries at Midtown, the name "Priest's Well" applies to a natural spring which issues from the base of an old stone wall at NH 6577 3436. There is a possible font stone at Midtown, betweeen the house and the steading, being used as a drinking utensil for poultry. It could also be a mortar for pounding corn. No knowledge of a font stone was found at the Mains of Bunachton.
Surveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (W D J) 9 September 1963.

An excavated building is situated on a slight terrace in the angle of a field bank to the SE of Midtown; it is as described previously, except that the NW side of the interior is levelled into the slope. There is what may be a mortar on the door-step of the cottage at Clachindruin (NH 6515 3432) which appears to be the stone referred to previously as a possible font.
Visited by RCAHMS (DCC) 19 March 1993.

Sources/Archives (2)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 6577 3439 (200m by 200m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH63SE
Civil Parish	DORES
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

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External Links (1)