Chapelford, St Ninian's Chapel And Burial Ground

NJ36SE 7 39076 59960

(NJ 39076 59960) St Ninian's Chapel (NR) (Site of)

See also NJ35NE 29 NJ 39076 59962 Dawson Mausoleum

A pre-Reformation chapel-of-ease depending on Urquhart Priory.

This chapel and Bellie Chapel - NJ36SE 5, were saved by the same incumbent before and for some time after the Reformation, but when the latter was enlarged into a church, worship was withdrawn from this chapel and it was allowed to decay until about 1688 when it was repaired and enlarged by the Roman Catholics.

'It is weel sclated and hath a large arch on every side by which they designed it to be in the form of a cross' (W Macfarlane 1906-8).

The burial ground was still in use in 1870, when no trace of the chapel existed.

Name Book 1870; W Macfarlane 1906-8.

No trace of St. Ninian's Chapel (name confirmed) The burial ground is still in use.

In the NE corner is a mausoleum for Roman Catholic priests. Inserted above the door in the S gable is a stone inscribed IHS, with a latin cross above the H and the date 1687 below the letters.

In the extended S part of the burial ground, the building published as church on OS 6"map (NJ 39 59) is a modern private chapel.

Visited by OS (R L) 19 May 1971.

INVENTORY OF GRAVEYARD AND CEMETERY SITES IN SCOTLAND REFERENCE:

N.B This reference refers to NJ36SE 7 and NJ35NE 29 collectively

Address: St Ninian's Chapel, Burial Ground & Dawson Mausoleum, Chapelford, Moray

Postcode: AB56 5ES

Status: Not known

Size: 0.36 hectares, 0.83 acres

Polygon: Yes

TOIDs: Burial Ground: 1000000173118605, 1000000173118628, 1000000173118692

TOIDs: Mausoleum: 1000038963770

Number of gravestones: Not known

Earliest gravestone: Not known

Most recent gravestone: Not known

Description: Graveyard associated with a chapel (demolished) and mausoleum. Mortuary chapel situated in burial ground.

Data Sources: OS MasterMap checked 27 June 2005.