Moray HER - NJ24SE0008 - CHURCH OF MACALLAN

Print site NJ24SE0008 Feedback on site NJ24SE0008

Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ24SE0008
NameCHURCH OF MACALLAN
NRHE Card No.NJ24SE10
NRHE Numlink 16357
HES SM No. NULL
HES LB No. 8501
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details Remains of a church within a square rubble walled graveyard. No architectural features remain of the church to facilitate dating. All that remains is part of the North and West walls, 0.8m thick and 3.0m maximum height, in a graveyard which is still used and has tombstones dating back to the 18th century. To the East, footings of the chapel remain, indicated by a slight swelling in the ground. It is the former parish of Macallan or MacCalen, said to derive from St Colin, bishop and confessor. There is no proof in either church records or Teind Court that the parish was formally annexed to Knockando, but from 1760, when church became ruinous, ministers of Knockando officiated in both parishes. In the South-East corner of the graveyard is a small square mausoleum, built in 1715 for John Grant of Elchies by his son Patrick. There is a symmetrical polished ashlar West frontage, and harl pointed rubble flanks. There is a low doorway in the West face, with a recessed panel above and flanking blocked window openings on both sides, with lintels just below the eaves at cornice level. There are moulded and beaded architraves, a moulded eaves cornice, heavy boulder footings and a graded pyramidal local slate roof. Inside, the centre of the rear (West) wall is filled by a carved sandstone mural monument dated 1715, possibly by John Faid of Elgin. An entablature is supported by engaged columns, with composite capitals carved with flowers. The entablature is decorated with undercut ribbon moulding in fine condition, and modillions with stylised foliage and flowers. There is a long Latin inscription below a carved skull and bones, with a reclining skeleton carved in relief on a dado, flanked by crossed bones. The Latin inscription records the erection of the memorial by Patrick, only son of John Grant, in memory of his father. It records John Grant's 'zealous service in the late civil war', his generosity and his qualities as a family man and neighbour. An empty vault is closed with blocks of ashlar in the centre of the mausoleum floor. It is to the South, and within the grounds, of the nearby Easter Elchies House (NJ24SE0023), built by John Grant. Monumental inscriptions within the churchyard were recorded by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group in 2007-2008.
Last Update12/01/2024
Updated Bycpalmer
Compiler 
Date of Compilation 

Google Map for NJ24SE0008

National Grid Reference: NJ 2789 4426



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2007 Survey
2008 Survey

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
MAUSOLEUMSSQUARE C100
GRAVEYARDS  D100
MONUMENTSMURAL E100
CHURCHYARDS  F100
TOMBSTONES  G100
PANELS RECESSEDH100
WINDOWS BLOCKEDI100
ARCHITRAVESBEADEDMOULDEDJ100
ENTABLATURES  K100
COLUMNS ENGAGEDL100
CAPITALS CARVEDM100
ROOFSSLATE N100
ROOFSPYRAMIDAL O100
DADOS CARVEDP100
CHAPELS SITE OFA100
CHURCHES REMAINS OFB100