Kilmahog, Churchyard And Chapel

NN60NW 16 centred 60914 08262

(NN 6097 0825) Chapel (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map, (1958)

The ruins of an ancient church at Kilmahog dedicated to St Kessog (Kilmahog - cell of Kessog). On an intact gable hangs a 17th century bell.

A M Campbell 1961.

A freestanding metal plaque erected at NN 6091 0826 reads: "Foundations of Pre-Reformation Church", although no trace survives.

Kilmahog chapel, first mentioned in the calendar of Papal registers in 1259, was not dedicated to St Kessog but to St Mahog, and was probably a settlement of the old Celtic church or Culdees. The bell, which hangs in the relatively modern gable or arched gateway to the churchyard is not 17th century as it appears in a story about the mid 15th century. It bears the Graham arms and may well be older than 15th century (information from Rev M A MacCorquodale, St Kessog's Manse, Callander).

Visited by OS (R D) 1 November 1968.

Watson (1926) makes no mention of St Kessog or St Mahog. Instead he suggests an Irish saint, Cuaca.

W J Watson 1926.

Graveyard situated on the site of a mid 13th century chapel. Probably late 18th century boundary walls arranged in a quadrilateral-plan with a gabled portal and a 19th century Mort House. The graveyard is situated on a piece of raised ground in open land between the A84 road and the Garbh Usige River.

The graveyard is entered through a large shouldered gabled portal with a semi-circular archway, there is a small round-arched opening in the gable apex with a bell. Nearby to the entrance is a rectangular-plan single-storey Mort House incorporated into the boundary wall, its blank NE face is set slightly advanced of the boundary wall. The entrance to the Mort House is located within the enclosure to the NW gable with a partially blocked window facing across the enclosure to the SW.

To the centre of the ground is a metal plaque marking the site of the former chapel, the footprint of the foundations are now indiscernible, (2004).

The boundary wall is breached in a couple of sections to the SW, (2004).

On the ground there are a number of moss covered lying slabs, their date is difficult to ascertain however some appear to be 17th century. There are a number of pedimented and arch-topped gravestones dating from the late 18th century and early 19th century, various other 19th century grave markers are located throughout the burial ground. A particularly impressive monument in the graveyard is that of the Macfarlan Monument located close to the NW wall. Erected in 1851 to the memory of William Macfarlan of Bencloich, Stirlingshire, Luggiebank and Dumbartonshire. It is composed of a central sandstone wall with a block pediment carrying an urn with radiating railings attached to a pair of flanking corniced piers.

Materials

Random rubble to boundary walls. Squared rubble in parts to gabled portal with ashlar copes to gable apex, cast iron gates. Random rubble to Mort House with boarded timber door and grey slate pitched roof.

Formerly listed at Category B, re-graded to Category C(S) at time of resurvey, (2004) to reflect consistently with other local listed burial grounds. Information recorded by the Royal Commission indicates that there is some uncertainty as to who the original church was dedicated to - suggestions range from St. Kessog, St. Mahog, St. Cuaca and St. Chug. Local tradition explains the name Kilmahog to mean the chapel of St Chug. On a firmer note it is fairly sure that the chapel was in existence by the mid 13th century as it is first mentioned in Papal registers in 1259. It is interesting to note that the Etterick shepherd, James Hogg, wrote in 1803 'a paltry village' you may guess that I was glad at getting safely past this village, for its name signifies the burial place of Hogg' [McKean]. The bell which hangs in the entrance gable is reputed to be 15th century and bear the arms of the Graham family [NMRS]. (Historic Environment Scotland List Entry)