Kirkton Of Culsalmond, Old Parish Church, Churchyard And Mort House
Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Mort House (19th Century)
Site Name Kirkton Of Culsalmond, Old Parish Church, Churchyard And Mort House
Classification Burial Ground (Period Unassigned), Mort House (19th Century)
Canmore ID 241889
Site Number NJ63SE 1.01
NGR NJ 65051 32954
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/241889
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Culsalmond
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Gordon
- Former County Aberdeenshire
Old Parish Church, 1791. Agricultural Improvement kirk, now roofless. Typically rectangular with four round-headed
windows, re-using a pretty 17th-century bellcote similar to that at Insch. Good stones in kirkyard, which is said to have been built on the site of a stone circle. Scene of one of those conflicts that led to the Disruption. Mort House, a square, harled single-storey, early 19th-century structure over a subterranean basement. Pyramidal roof and large window from which to survey the kirkyard.
Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
NJ 6505 3295
A gravestone in the burial-ground commemorates Jane Sey who died in 1895 aged 74 and her husband Alexander Stuart who died in 1901 aged 84. Alexander Stuart was a slate quarrier on the Hill of Foudland (see NJ63SW 35), and the gravestone records that he outlived his fellow workers with the inscription 'THE LAST OF THE FOUNDLAND QUARRIERS'.
Information from RCAHMS (ARG), 6 December 2005
NJ 6502 3293 Prior to the renovation of the Mort House and Watch House in the graveyard of the old parish church,
excavation of floor levels and recording of features associated with internal arrangements was undertaken on 8-9 March 2007. The interior was shown to be cobble-floored with slabs at the entrance. Fittings for the shelves that would have held the coffins were recorded.
Report deposited with Aberdeenshire SMR and RCAHMS.
Funder: Aberdeenshire Council.
H K Murray, 2007.
Project (April 2006 - October 2006)
The proposed underground cable runs from N of Kirkton Farm, Colpy, AB52 6XD to Blackhall Road (adjacent to Westburn Gardens), Inverurie, AB51 5SN. The National Grid Reference of the NW end is NJ64961 33749 and the SE end is NJ75620 21721. The proposed cable is in Culsalmond Parish (NW end) and Inverurie (SE end). The height is 245-250m OD (NW end) and 95-100m (SE end). 1.2 The work was commissioned by Gordon McConachie, CKD Galbraith LLP for SSE. All the archaeological work will be carried out in the context of Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) Planning Advice Note (PAN 2/2011) and Scottish Historic Environment Scotland’s Policy Statement (HESPS), which state that archaeological remains should be regarded as part of the environment to be protected and managed.
Following a Desk-Based Assessment, a walkover of the entire length of the cable trench, carried out 30 April - 5 May 2016, revealed no new sites on the route but a number of Scheduled Monuments and archaeological and historical sites have been identified on the route and a watching brief was required in six areas. Six trenches were monitored between 14 June and 26 September 2016. At least two and possibly four prehistoric ring ditches with associated pottery were identified in two trenches and these were retained in situ and a clear path identified in each case for the cable trench. The base of a possible rock-cut ditch was uncovered at Durno and this was recorded, sampled and backfilled. At this area of the Roman camp the cropmark is not visible as the underlying geology is bedrock.
One ring ditch was found at the N end of the pipeline associated with prehistoric pottery and one definite and two potential ring ditches at Glenniston. In the road within Logie Durno Roman Camp, the base of a possible ditch was identified in an area where the cropmark is not visible as the underlying geology is bedrock. The watching briefs are now complete and the cabling being laid. A Post-Excavation Research Design (PERD) will now be prepared for the post-excavation works required.
Excavation (8 March 2007 - 9 March 2007)
NJ 6502 3293 Prior to the renovation of the Mort House and Watch House in the graveyard of the old parish church, excavation of floor levels and recording of features associated with internal arrangements was undertaken on 8-9 March 2007. The interior was shown to be cobble-floored with slabs at the entrance. Fittings for the shelves that would have held the coffins were recorded.
Report deposited with Aberdeenshire SMR and RCAHMS.
Funder: Aberdeenshire Council.
H K Murray, 2007.
