Building record MAB5223 - ALVES OLD PARISH CHURCH

Alves Old Church, built in 1769-71 and no longer in ecclesiastical use.

Alves Old Church, built in 1769-71 and no longer in ecclesiastical use. It is a long narrow rectangular church, with distinctive narrow 8-bay fenestration in the south elevation. It is harled, with ashlar margins and dressings. There is a round-headed entrance in the east gable, with a re-set aediculed and pedimented mural monument dated to 1677, and 1722 to the right. There is a worn Latin inscription that is initialled 'BI' and 'IF' for Beroald Innes of Inchstelly, and Margaret Falconer his wife, possibly from an earlier site on what is now Inchestelly Farmhouse (NJ16SW0043). The memorial was situated in the choir of the pre-1769 church. Seven narrow, round-headed long windows light the south elevation. The windows are shorter and wider in bays 3 and 5. There is a similar single gallery window in the east and west gables, and a similar styled doorway in the outer southwest bay, with a blind narrow round-headed light above. The multi-pane glazing is in a poor condition. Some shutter hooks survive. There is a birdcage bellcote at the east gable apex, with a slightly concave cap topped by ball finial and dated to 1769. The bell that hung in the belfry is dated 1630, made by Michael Burgerhuys of Holland. This is now in the new church southwest of Alves (NJ16SW0069). There is a slate roof. The interior is empty, with all the furnishings removed. An irregular shaped burial ground surrounds the church, extended at the east. There are various 18th century and subsequent tombstones. The Russell burial enclosure is in the southwest corner. It has the initials JR and ES, with the date 1725, carved on each side of entrance, and a plaque is inscribed: 'This Buriall place was erected by James Russell Chamberlaine to the Earl of Moray at Earles-Mill for himself his Spouse Elizabeth Spence and their children. The said James Russell died the 11 Jany. 1735 year and his forsaid spouse died the 25 Sept 1737 year'. The burial enclosure is constructed from squared and rusticated ashlar, with a balustraded wallhead and a moulded lugged doorpiece. There are two entrances to burial ground, each with simple square gate piers. The east entrance is of a late 19th century date. The earliest reference to a church at Alves is in the Great Charter of Bricius 6th Bishop of Moray. In 1208 one canon of the Cathedral had as his prebend the churches of Lamnabride and Aluays. After the Reformation these formed separate charges. Within the churchyard are two First World War Commonwealth war graves, of Private G. Millar, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), and Private T. Robertson, Seaforth Highlanders. Monumental inscriptions within the churchyard have been recorded by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group (2004-5). The Group also noted what appeared to be part of the wall fabric of the earlier church, and a grave slab possibly dating to the 14th century.

Period Notes
A church at Alves is mentioned by 1208. The present church was built in 1769-71. The bell that was in the church is dated to 1630. There are tombstones from the 18th century, and subsequent dates. The Russell enclosure in the graveyard has the date of 1725 carved into the entrance. The E entrance to the graveyard is dated to the late-19th century. It was designated on 25/04/1989.

Author unknown, 1799, OLD STATISTICAL ACCOUNT, No11(1794) 512 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1845.

SHAW, L, 1882, HIST OF PROV OF MORAY II, 150-1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1627.

CRAMOND, W, 1900, CHURCH OF ALVES, 96 (Bibliographic reference). SAB284.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

MITCHELL, A, 1908, MACFARLANES GEOG COLL 1906-8, 236 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1155.

Mitchell, M E C, 1934, Proc Soc Antiq Scot 68 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8132.

DI FALCO, J, 1967, PSAS 90(1966-7) 211-54, 211-54 (Bibliographic reference). SAB352.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2003, NEWSLETTER, Issue 12, p.8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5098.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2003, NEWSLETTER, Issue 3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5098.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2003, NEWSLETTER, Issue 4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5098.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2007, MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS: ALVES CHURCHYARD AND CEMETERY, PARISH OF ALVES (Bibliographic reference). SAB7632.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, 106 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 18/11/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Record last edited

Sep 5 2025 10:56AM