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MHG4893 - St. Maelrubha's Chapel - Kilmory, Borline

Summary

The earlier and smaller of the two ruined chapels at Kilmory, Borline.

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

The earlier and smaller of the two ruined chapels at Kilmory, Borline.

(NG 3759 2599) Church (In Ruins) (NAT).
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1903)

At Kilmoruy, Borline, are two roofless churches, the larger probably of the 18th century, and the smaller earlier.
The latter is an oblong structure, orientated E-W, 26ft 5ins in length and 15ft 8ins in breadth externally. The walls, 2ft 5ins thick, still stand 7ft 6ins high above the present level of the interior. The wall-head is angled to conform with the slope of the thatch (RCAHMS 1928). This church seems to have been rebuilt after the Reformation and in 1792 was ruinous (OPS 1854). In all probability it occupies the site of the ancient church of St. Maelrubha (T S Muir 1885).
The later church lies a short distance to the W. The churchyard contains a fragment of a cross-shaft 4'9" long, and fine decorated grave-slabs. A 15th - 16th century font was removed to the NMAS, Edinburgh.
Orig Paroch Scot 1854; T S Muir 1885; J R Walker 1887; RCAHMS 1928; W D Simpson 1935.

The earlier of these two ruined churches is as described by RCAHMS. The later church, which is roofless, measures 14.3m long and 7.5m wide externally, with walls 0.8m thick. The S wall contains a door and two windows and the W gable end also has a window.
The cross-shaft described and illustrated by RCAHMS is recumbent and serves as a gravestone. The graveyard is disused.
Visited by OS (C F W) 7 June 1961.

The ruins of the two churches and the burial ground were listed at Category B in 1971.

The church, chapel and burial ground were Scheduled by Historic Scotland in 1993. The scheduling specifically excluded the ruin of the later church.

The scheduling was amended by Historic Environment Scotland in 2017 to specifically include the fabric of the larger, later, ruined church and to specifically exclude the above ground elements of any 20th and 21st century memorials and grave markers. Also, as part of the HES Dual Designations Project, the buildings and burial ground were removed from the statutory list. <1>

NG32NE 1.01 3757 2599

See also:
NG32NE0018 Graveyard & Graveslabs
J Aitken : 10/12/02

NG32NE 1.00 3759 2599
NG32NE 1.01 3757 2599 Churchyard; Cross-shaft
NG32NE 1.02 3757 2599 St Michael's Font

The Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre holds the small finds from the Church Restoration (of the smaller chapel) at Borline Chapel in 1990. These are listed as Late Medieval and 1790s, under Acc. No. 1990.2. <2>

Sources/Archives (9)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NG 3758 2599 (10m by 8m)
Map sheet	NG32NE
Geographical Area	SKYE AND LOCHALSH
Civil Parish	BRACADALE

Finds (1)

Related Monuments/Buildings (2)

Related Investigations/Events (0)

External Links (2)