Dinlabyre Chapel

NY59SW 22 5366 9148.

A chapel, with its associated burial ground, formerly stood at Dinlabyre.

G Chalmers 1810; Statistical Account (OSA) 1795

NY 537 914. The grass-covered rectangular ruins of Dinlabyre Chapel, called "Killoley Chapel" by the earliest writers, and the retaining wall of the churchyard are very distinct. A section of wall in the NE corner of the building was uncovered, revealing a rubble stone core which had been much robbed, though suggesting a wall thickness of 4 ft. The chapel measured 35 ft E-W by 20 ft; part of a beaten clay floor was uncovered. On the N, W and E sides a 5 ft wide trench may have been used as drainage and a further 4 ft thick wall enclosed the chapel. Neither the trench nor wall could be determined on the S side. On the N side, and a strip along the E, a stone- built enclosure marks the site of the churchyard. Several stones are said to have been standing within the last century, but none could be located by probing.

Probably this chapel did not survive the building of Castleton Church in the mid-12th century, though the burial ground may have remained in use. From the 13th - 16th century, the farm of Killoley is mentioned.

Trans Hawick Archaeol Soc 1958

Although the tradition of this chapel is still known locally, the historical evidence is too vague, and the excavation detail of the above too circumstantial for any positive classification to be made.

From memory, Mr A R Little of Dinlabyre indicated the site of the building and enclosure on the 6" map in the area of NY 5366 9148, this being consistent with the above description. This location is now within a large newly-planted forestry area, and nothing was seen on perambulation. (See also NY59SW 26).

The only current name that may relate to "Killoley" is "Kelly Cleuch" (name: NY 539 928) a small burn over one kilometre to the N.

Visited by OS (JRL) 31 July 1979