Temple, Urquhart Bay
Chapel (Period Unassigned), Rag Well (17th Century)
Site Name Temple, Urquhart Bay
Classification Chapel (Period Unassigned), Rag Well (17th Century)
Alternative Name(s) St Ninian's Chapel; Cill Santninian
Canmore ID 12639
Site Number NH53SW 2
NGR NH 5294 3002
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/12639
- Council Highland
- Parish Urquhart And Glenmoriston
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Inverness
- Former County Inverness-shire
Reference (1973)
No trace of the site, which was probably totally destroyed when the road was built. A monolith by the roadside is said to mark the site of finds made during road widening, and the well still exists a few yards to the east, also by the roadside.
A D S Macdonald and L R Laing 1973.
Desk Based Assessment
NH53SW 2 5294 3002
(NH 5294 3002) Supposed Site of (NAT)
Knights Templars' Chapel (NR)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 1st ed., (1871)
Supposed Site of (NAT) St Ninian's Chapel (NR)
OS 6" map, Inverness-shire, 2nd ed., (1904)
The Chapel of St Ninian, who died c. 432, was also known as "An Teampull" - the Temple - a name denoting the existence of an early stone church. A crucifix of St Drostan was preserved in the chapel.
A Celtic cross-slab was removed from this site, first to Corrimony House (NH 376 303) and then to the modern St Ninian's Chapel at NH 4330. It measures 1'6" x 1'.
The chapel was in use at least until August 1556. The ruins existed in 1763, and, in 1835, there was still a public burial ground at "Cill Santninian".
Near the chapel were a rag well (possibly that shown at NH 529 300 on OS 1st edition 6"map) and two ash trees.
The trees were still in existence in 1882, and were fully 12' in circumference. They also were superstitiously regarded. There is now no trace of the chapel.
Information from OS.
Information from W Lorimer 1763; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845 (Rev J D Smith 1835); Name Book 1871; J Mackintosh 1888; ISSFC 1893; W MacKay 1893; W J Watson 1926; W D Simpson 1935.
