Building record MAB3331 - OLD CHURCH OF RAFFORD
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Summary
Ruins of church, possibly on the site of an earlier chapel, and graveyard.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 15590
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 0600 5617 (55m by 40m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ05NE |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Rafford |
Type and Period (10)
- WALL (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GATE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- WATCH HOUSE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GRAVESTONE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- SHED (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Graveyard (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- ENCLOSURE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GATE PIER (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCH (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCHYARD (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
Full Description
Ruins of church, possibly on the site of an earlier chapel, and graveyard. The earlier chapel is first mentioned in a charted of circa 1209. The ruins are of the more recent church, which was rebuilt in 1754 and in use until 1826, with the present parish church (NJ05NE0015) built shortly after circa 200 metres to the North. The old church was largely taken down in 1827 and the material was used to build dykes around the present church, and to repair the Mill of Marcassie and Templestones. Two gables survived until 1959, when the West gable was demolished. The lower portion of the East wall remains, forming the West end of a shed and part of the East wall of a private burial plot. The walls enclosing the graveyard are constructed of rubble. A pair of square tooled ashlar gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps flank the entrance, closed by a pair of cast-iron carriage gates. The graveyard contains three large enclosures (Dunbar, Logan-Bates and unidentified), and a building which may have been a watch house, now re-roofed and used as a shed. There are various other burial enclosures with memorials from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, probably incorporating material from the old church. The gravestones include early flat stones, and a mixture of upright stones and wall tablets, mainly of 19th and early 20th century date. The area was subject to an archaeological watching brief in 2004 (NJ05NE0058) as part of the Moray Flood Alleviation Scheme, with test pitting taking place nearby, and there was a second watching brief that took place in 2008 (NJ05NE0059). Neither found any archaeology of note. Monumental inscriptions within the churchyard were recorded by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group in 2005-6 .
Period Notes
Earlier church mentioned in a 13th century charter. A bell in the present parish church is re-used from this one, and dated 1576. More recent church built in 1754, and mostly demolished in 1826. Further demolition took place in 1959. Burial enclosures and gravestones from the 17th, 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Listed designation given on 25/04/1989.
REEVES, W, 1860, PSAS 3(1857-60) 258-96, 270 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1521.
ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No17(1870) 21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.
MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2007, MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS: RAFFORD CHURCHYARD AND NEW CEMETERY (Bibliographic reference). SAB7656.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, 1795,338,345 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, 1842,254 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- HES Listed Building Number: 15590;
- NMR Card Number: NJ05NE5;
- NRHE Numlink: 15780;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ05NE0005;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15590 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/15780 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (5)
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. 1795,338,345.
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. 1842,254.
- --- SAB1360 Bibliographic reference: ORDNANCE SURVEY. 1871. Ordnance Name Book. No17(1870) 21.
- --- SAB1521 Bibliographic reference: REEVES, W. 1860. PSAS 3(1857-60) 258-96. 270.
- --- SAB7656 Bibliographic reference: MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP. 2007. MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS: RAFFORD CHURCHYARD AND NEW CEMETERY.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (4)
Record last edited
Jan 18 2024 2:23PM
