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Alness, Alness Parish Church
Church (17th Century)
Site Name Alness, Alness Parish Church
Classification Church (17th Century)
Canmore ID 13662
Site Number NH66NW 2
NGR NH 64485 69074
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/13662
- Council Highland
- Parish Alness
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Ross And Cromarty
- Former County Ross And Cromarty
NH66NW 2.00 64485 69074
NH66NW 2.01 64486 69060 Churchyard
This church was said to have been out of use for about 20 years prior to 1963. It bears a date-stone '1775' at the SW corner eave, and two dated '1629' at the base of the belfry.
Visited by OS 5 May 1963.
This church, now roofless (HBD No. 10) has a 1672 Novar Aisle together with a later extension to the N and a burial-enclosure of 1671 to the E. Datestone s comemmorate the fact that the main body of the church in its existing form dates from 1625 and was renovated in 1775. However, its basic rectangular plan and orientation suggest a medieval origin, and on the inner face of the NE wall there is a blocked-up arched opening, in all likelihood a medieval tomb-recess.
G Stell 1986; Information from NMRS record sheet RCR/1/1.
NMRS REFERENCE:
ARCHITECT: Ross & Joass (I.A. Sept 16, 1862) Repairs
The interior of Category B Listed Alness Parish Church was stripped in 1966/67. Information from Demolitions catalogue held in RCAHMS library.
1672 T-plan church incorporating earlier work, renovated 1775-80. Harled with ashlar margins. Symmetrical south elevation with paired ground and gallery windows in outer bays and pair long central windows in centre bay. Bellcote with stumpy finials at west apex, ball finial at east and thistle finial at north; moulded and initialled jambs to north door (which probably gave access to former Novar aisle). Additional later extension to north gable with wide blocked doors (possibly stabling/carriage house for Novar aisle). External gallery stair to east gable; also burial enclosure with Munro eagle (Novar) dated 1671. Semi-circular mural recess in NE internal wall, probably for recumbant figure.
Lintel in north inscribed; "Mortis meditatio vita est 16 WML IMT 72" (To think on Death is Life). (Historic Scotland)
Note (1979)
Alness Church NH 644 690 NH66NW 2
There is documentary evidence for the existence, before 1227, of a church on the site occupied by the present 18th-century one, which has two stones bearing the date 1629 incorporated in the belfry.
RCAHMS 1979
(OPS 1851-5, ii, 472-3)
