Building record MAB6578 - HOLY TRINITY CHURCH, SPYNIE
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Summary
Graveyard and site of church.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 15575
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 2285 6548 (94m by 83m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ26NW |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Spynie |
Type and Period (8)
- Graveyard (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCH (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- VAULT (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCHYARD (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CROSS (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- WALL (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GATE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Monument (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
Full Description
Graveyard and site of church. It is a small walled graveyard, enclosing the site of the medieval parish church of the Holy Trinity. The coped rubble walls date to 1828, and have a carriage entrance at the South flanked by a pair of cast-iron spearheaded gates. There is now no trace of the church to be seen in the graveyard at Spynie, although the Eastern end is marked by a cross mounted on a modern shaft 2m high, with an inscription to that effect. The church of the Holy Trinity at Spynie was made a cathedral church in 1207, but the cathedral was transferred to Elgin in 1224. The church was removed to Quarrywood, called New Spynie, in 1735, and stones from the church were used to build the present parish church in 1736 (NJ16SW0018). The last remains, a Gothic gable, collapsed in circa 1850, but Macintosh stated in 1924 that the foundations were traced, measuring circa 23m by 10.5m, (75.5ft by 34.5ft), indicating a small church of simple character. Two burial vaults now occupy the site of the church. Within the graveyard are burial memorials and tombs from the late 16th century onwards, including the tomb of former British Prime Minister James Ramsay Macdonald (1866-1937). There is also a burial enclosure for Leslie of Findrassie family with a possibly re-used lintel dated 1766 and containing various tomb slabs, the earliest dated 1588, and 18th century mural monuments, including a fine Corinthian-esque aedicule (shrine) with an enriched frieze, dated 1793. Recording of tombstones within the graveyard has been carried out by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group.
Period Notes
Church on the site was made a cathedral church in 1207. Replaced by the new church in 1736. The walls date to 1828. Tombstones and memorials from the 16th, 17th, 18th and subsequent centuries. Listed designation given on 25/04/1989.
POCOCKE, R, 1887, TOURS IN SCOTLAND, 187 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1409.
MACDONALD, WR, 1900, PSAS 34(1899-90) 344-429, pp395-398 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1181.
MACKINTOSH, HB, 1914, ELGIN PAST & PRESENT, 262-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1144.
MACKINTOSH, HB, 1924, PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY, 14-16,78-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1145.
CANT, R, 1948, OLD MORAY, 20 (Bibliographic reference). SAB216.
EASSON, D, 1957, MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND, 169 (Bibliographic reference). SAB440.
DI FALCO, J, 1967, PSAS 90(1966-7) 211-54, 211-54 (Bibliographic reference). SAB352.
MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2006, THE FORGOTTEN TOMBSTONES OF MORAY: VOLUME 4 LHANBRYDE OLD CHURCHYARD, URQUHART CHURCHYARD AND SPYNIE OLD CHURCHYARD (Bibliographic reference). SAB7665.
FIRTH, D, 2023, THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE LOCH OF SPYNIE IN MORAYSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB4207.
Aug 10 1978 , AAS/78/3/CT16, AAS/78/3/CT16 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31960.
Jun 7 2014 , AAS-GR-14-06-021 - 028, AAS-GR-14-06-021 - 028 (Ground Photograph). SAB30853.
Jun 24 1988 , AAS/88/01/S4/4,6,8, AAS/88/01/S4/4,6,8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30513.
Sep 6 2014 , AAS-GR-14-09-135 - 146, AAS-GR-14-09-135 - 146 (Ground Photograph). SAB35342.
Sep 6 2014 , AAS-GR-14-09-154 - 197, AAS-GR-14-09-154 - 197 (Ground Photograph). SAB35541.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- HES Listed Building Number: 15575;
- NMR Card Number: NJ26NW9;
- NRHE Numlink: 16521;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ26NW0031;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15575 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/16521 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (14)
- --- SAB1144 Bibliographic reference: MACKINTOSH, HB. 1914. ELGIN PAST & PRESENT. Y. 262-5.
- --- SAB1145 Bibliographic reference: MACKINTOSH, HB. 1924. PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY. Y. 14-16,78-9.
- --- SAB1181 Bibliographic reference: MACDONALD, WR. 1900. PSAS 34(1899-90) 344-429. pp395-398.
- --- SAB1409 Bibliographic reference: POCOCKE, R. 1887. TOURS IN SCOTLAND. 187.
- --- SAB216 Bibliographic reference: CANT, R. 1948. OLD MORAY. 20.
- --- SAB30513 Air-oblique Photograph: Jun 24 1988 . AAS/88/01/S4/4,6,8. Black & White. AAS/88/01/S4/4,6,8.
- --- SAB30853 Ground Photograph: Jun 7 2014 . AAS-GR-14-06-021 - 028. Digital. AAS-GR-14-06-021 - 028.
- --- SAB31960 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 10 1978 . AAS/78/3/CT16. Colour Transparency. AAS/78/3/CT16.
- --- SAB352 Bibliographic reference: DI FALCO, J. 1967. PSAS 90(1966-7) 211-54. 211-54.
- --- SAB35342 Ground Photograph: Sep 6 2014 . AAS-GR-14-09-135 - 146. Digital. AAS-GR-14-09-135 - 146.
- --- SAB35541 Ground Photograph: Sep 6 2014 . AAS-GR-14-09-154 - 197. Digital. AAS-GR-14-09-154 - 197.
- --- SAB4207 Bibliographic reference: FIRTH, D. 2023. THE EARLY CHURCH AND THE LOCH OF SPYNIE IN MORAYSHIRE.
- --- SAB440 Bibliographic reference: EASSON, D. 1957. MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND. 169.
- --- SAB7665 Bibliographic reference: MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP. 2006. THE FORGOTTEN TOMBSTONES OF MORAY: VOLUME 4 LHANBRYDE OLD CHURCHYARD, URQUHART CHURCHYARD AND SPYNIE OLD CHURCHYARD.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Jan 3 2025 12:19PM
