MHG9078 - Urquhart Old Parish Church
Summary
No summary available.
Type and Period (1)
- CHURCH (Post Medieval to 21st Century - 1560 AD to 2100 AD)
Protected Status
Full Description
Church (NR) (In Ruins) OS 6"map, Ross-shire, 2nd ed., (1907)
The remains of former parish church. The Breviary of Aberdeen says that a wooden church was built at Urquhart on spot where St Malrubha was martyred in 721 and that this church was superseded by parish church (Reeves 1862). There is no local information about this building. W Reeves 1862; Name Book 1872. <1> <2>
The church and graveyard were listed at Category B in 1971.
The ivy-covered gables of church stand intact but N and S walls are partially destroyed by insertion of later burial enclosures. It has measured 23m E-W x 7.6m overall, with walls 0.9m thick. The bell was recently removed from belfry on W gable and was sent for cleaning; it is shortly to be preserved in present parish church. The farmer at Urquhart believes it bears a date in 1630s. The graveyard is extended and still in use. The old graveyard wall is still traceable. The oldest legible grave marker is dated 1753.
Revised at 1:2500. Visited by OS (A A) 16 July 1975.
The monument consists of former parish church of Urquhart which is dedicated to St Maelruba. It is specified in the 'Breviary of Aberdeen' that a wooden chapel was built at Urquhart on spot where St Maelrubha was martyred in 721 and that this church was superseded by parish church of Urquhart or Ferintosh (NH55NE 145). The present church, situated in an extended burial ground overlooks neck of Cromarty Firth to N. The ivy-choked gables of building are still intact but intervening walls have been altered by insertion of a N burial aisle (c.1795) and later burial enclosures. The rectangular-plan, rubble-built structure measures 23.5m E-W by 7.7m N-S over walls 0.9m thick. W gable is surmounted by a late 17th-century belfry.
Info from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 6 1993.
The church was removed from the Category B listing in August 2015 as part of a project looking at dual designations of sites in the Highlands, though it remains a scheduled monument. <3>
For present Urquhart parish church (NH 5778 5790), see NH55NE 145.
See also:
NH55NE0042 Graveyard
Jhooper, 11/12/2002
Sources/Archives (4)
- --- SHG2675 Text/Report: RCAHMS. 1979. The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. The archaeological sites and monuments of the Black Isle, Ross and Cromarty District, Highland Region. . 20, No. 125.
- <1> SHG1460 Text/Publication/Article: Reeves, W. 1862. 'Saint Maelrubha; his history and churches', Proc Soc Antiq Scot Vol. 3 1857-60, p.258-96. Proc Soc Antiq Scot. 258-96. 267, 290.
- <2> SHG3363 Text/Publication/Volume: Name Book (County). Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey. Book No. 31, 28.
- <3> SHG27411 Text/Designation Notification/List of Buildings: Jackson, L.. 2015. Combined Statutory and Descriptive List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Highland Council, Two Hundred and Twelvth Amendment) 2015. Historic Scotland. 04/09/2015. Digital.
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NH 5806 5849 (26m by 15m) (2 map features) |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NH55NE |
| Geographical Area | ROSS AND CROMARTY |
| Civil Parish | URQUHART AND LOGIE WESTER |
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Investigations/Events (0)
External Links (2)
- http://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM5696 (Online designation description (Historic Environment Scotland))
- https://canmore.org.uk/site/12752 (View RCAHMS Canmore entry for this site)
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