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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 669605

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/669605

NJ71NW 9 7332 1752 and 7331 1747.

For present parish church (of Chapel of Garioch) at NJ 7161 2414, see NJ72SW 6.

(NJ 7332 1752) St Ninian's RC Church (NAT)

on site of St Ninians Chapel (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959).

The church of Fetterneir was dedicated to St Ninian. At the parsonage of Fetterneir, Alexander Kininmoth, Bishop of Aberdeen, built an Episcopal mansion in 1329; it became a favourite residence of the succeeding bishops. The parishes of Fetterneir and Chapel-of-Garioch were united in 1599.

H Scott 1915-61.

The ancient parish church, dedicated to St Ninian, dates from 1150, though the New Statistical Account (NSA, 1845) states that 'there was a chapel built at Fetternear in the year 1109' which received a charter from Malcolm IV dated 20th August 1160. A map of 1769 shows it standing in its church-yard and its walls still stood to a height of four feet in mid-19th century. In 1848 a new chapel was built, partially at least upon the mediaeval one, a vault of which formed the south wing of the new building, according to the ONB (1867), which adds that it had never been either dedicated or used. In 1878 the existing church was built directly upon the ancient foundations enclosing the Leslie tombs and that of Bishop Hay (buried 21 10 1811) who was chiefly responsible for maintaining Roman Catholicism in Scotland during 18th century persecution.

Anderson (1963) states that 'the building had no public use whatsoever; it was simply a Leslie mausoleum and a monument to Bishop Hay. It had no immediate local congregation and it was not suitable as a domestic chapel ... nor has it ever been used' despite the fact that Dom Odo Blundell said Mass in it in 1907, while it was still incomplete.

On the bank of the river Don below the church is a well known from time immemorial as St Ninian's Well (Anderson 1963).

O Blundell 1907; C Leslie 1869; NSA 1845; W J Anderson 1963; Name Book 1867; W Orem 1830; Information from map, 1769.

There are no remains of a medieval chapel, and the Roman Catholic mausoleum chapel, built in 1848 directly over this structure, is now reduced to floor level. The church built in 1878, contiguous with the N wall of the medieval chapel, is now roofless, and the N vestry partially unroofed. This church built by the Leslie family was never consecrated due to a split between the family and the RC church, hence the dedication to St Ninian is incorrect.

The graveyard is no longer used.

St Ninian's Well at NJ 7331 1748, still known locally by that name, is a stone-lined well still maintained by the landowners.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB) 16 January 1967.

Fetterneir (Aberdeen, Mar). The church was confirmed to the bishop, of Aberdeen in 1157, along with authority to erect his chapter. The church thereafter remained a mensal church of the bishopric of Aberdee, although it was frequently granted by successive bishops either as an additional prebend 'ad vitam' or as a means of securing a pension payable from the bishopric revenue.

I B Cowan 1967.

No change to previous field report.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB) 19 August 1976.

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