Building record MAB11780 - PRESHOME
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Summary
Chapel House is a south-facing, symmetrical two-storey, three-bay residence dating from 1830.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (A) 15525: Chapel House, garden store and wall enclosing house, garden and church
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 4109 6140 (33m by 24m) Centred at - Point |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ46SW |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Rathven |
Type and Period (6)
- HOUSE (19th Century - 1830 AD to 1830 AD)
- WALLED GARDEN (19th Century - 1830 AD to 1830 AD)
- PAVILION (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
- STOREHOUSE (18th Century - 1700 AD to 1799 AD)
- HOUSE (Destroyed before 1830 AD, 19th Century - 1830 AD (pre) to 1830 AD (pre))
- RECORD OFFICE (19th Century - 1830 AD to 1869 AD)
Full Description
Chapel House is a south-facing, symmetrical two-storey, three-bay residence dating from 1830. Constructed of rubble masonry with tooled ashlar dressings and margins, the house is characterised by a centrally placed entrance, sheltered by a simple later timber portico-style porch. The rear elevation retains a regular three-bay arrangement, while two centrally positioned stair windows in the east gable illuminate the upper flights and contain mainly four-pane glazing. The building is capped by a slate roof with coped end stacks, and a later single-storey lean-to extension has been added against the east gable. Chapel House and the adjoining church are enclosed within a coped rubble boundary wall.
Associated with the house is an late-18th Century structure, a west-facing two-storey, two-bay garden store which was probably originally constructed as a pavilion wing to a predecessor house. Built of rubble masonry with tooled rubble dressings, it is entered at first-floor level by a forestair on the north gable, while a secondary off-centre entrance provides access to the ground floor from the south gable. The building retains nine-pane glazing, a central ridge stack, and a piended Banffshire slate roof.
Chapel House was designed and built by Bishop Kyle, working in collaboration with William Robertson, who amended and prepared the architectural plans. The Rt. Rev. James Kyle was appointed Vicar Apostolic of the Northern District of Scotland in 1828 and chose to reside at Preshome, where he remained until his death in 1869. He was an exceptional administrator, linguist, architect and scholar, and became one of the most influential figures in the 19th Century Roman Catholic Church in Scotland. During his lifetime, more than 75,000 documents were amassed at Preshome and stored within his personal archive room; these are now preserved in the Scottish Catholic Archives in Edinburgh. Renowned for his hospitality, Bishop Kyle also incorporated six attic rooms within the house to accommodate visiting guests.
BOGDAN, NQ, 1991, Castles, Manors & Town House survey, 37 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2251.
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, RATHVEN 25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, 255 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- NMR Card Number: NJ46SW 41.00;
- NRHE Numlink: 75905;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ46SW0041;
External Links (1)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15525 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
Sources/Archives (3)
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Sep 11 2026 10:47AM
