Building record MAB6627 - ST BRIGET'S CHURCH, LHANBRYDE
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Summary
Graveyard and site of former parish church.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (A) 15778
- Listed Building (B) 15778
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 2715 6125 (62m by 58m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ26SE |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | St. Andrews - Lhanbryde |
Type and Period (14)
- CHURCH (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- CHURCHYARD (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- EFFIGY (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- Graveyard (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- ENCLOSURE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- WALL (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- GATE PIER (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- Memorial (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- Memorial (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- ENCLOSURE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- ENCLOSURE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- GATE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- TOMB (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- MURAL (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
Full Description
Graveyard and site of former parish church. The parish church of Lhanbryde, which was dedicated to St Brigida, is first mentioned in the charters of Bishop Bricius in 1208 (referred to as church of 'Langbride'). It fell into disrepair on the union of the two parishes in 1780 and it was replaced by the present parish church (NJ26SE0040) and demolished in 1796. There is now no trace of the church, but the square walled burial ground is maintained, although it is now closed for burials. It has a coped rubble wall with entrances to the North and South, each with a pair of tooled ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps from the late-19th century. At the South, the burial ground is approached by a wide flight of stone steps. Tombstones date from the 16th, 17th, 18th centuries and later. Two stones in the graveyard remember men killed in World War I. There are two square coped rubble walled burial enclosures, one of the Innes family that is probably incorporating fragments of the earlier church. It has polished ashlar margins and a moulded cope. The centre entrance in the West face is closed by a spearheaded cast-iron gate. There is a recessed, pointed-headed mural tomb with an effigy of a medieval recumbent knight, and two mural panels that are probably re-set grave slabs, dated 1580 and 1612. The stone from 1612 commemorates Alexander Innes of Coxton, who died on the 6th of October 1612. Tombstones within the churchyard have been recorded by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group.
Period Notes
The church was first mentioned in 1208. It fell into disrepair on the union of two parishes in 1780, and was demolished in 1796. There are tombstones from the 16th century onward, including a WWI memorial. There are slabs dated 1580 and 1612 in the Innes burial enclosure. The gatepier caps are from the late-19th century. Listed designation was given to the graveyard on 24/03/1988, and for the Innes enclosure on 26/01/1971, which was upgraded from a B to an A listing on 24/03/1988.
JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 271-2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.
MACKINTOSH, HB, 1924, PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY, 89 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1145.
SCOTT, H, 1950, FASTI ECCLES SCOT, 397 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1806.
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.
AOC ARCHAEOLOGY, 2023, MEMORIAL HEADSTONE STABILISATION PROGRAMME MORAY COUNCIL: ARCHAEOLOGICAL SUPPORT SERVICES WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB8796.
AOC ARCHAEOLOGY, 2024, MEMORIAL HEADSTONE STABILISATION PROGRAMME: SUMMARY REPORT (Bibliographic reference). SAB8746.
Jan 1 1982 , AAS/GR/82/CT26-27, AAS/GR/82/CT26-27 (Ground Photograph). SAB33209.
Jan 1 1985 , AAS/GR/85/CT89, AAS/GR/85/CT89 (Ground Photograph). SAB33210.
Jun 27 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-251 - 387, AAS-GR-15-06-251 - 387 (Ground Photograph). SAB30913.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- HES Listed Building Number: 15778;
- NMR Card Number: NJ26SE10;
- NRHE Numlink: 16523;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ26SE0047;
External Links (3)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15778 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15778 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/16523 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (9)
- --- SAB1145 Bibliographic reference: MACKINTOSH, HB. 1924. PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY. Y. 89.
- --- SAB1806 Bibliographic reference: SCOTT, H. 1950. FASTI ECCLES SCOT. Y. 397.
- --- SAB30913 Ground Photograph: Jun 27 2015 . AAS-GR-15-06-251 - 387. Digital. AAS-GR-15-06-251 - 387.
- --- SAB33209 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1982 . AAS/GR/82/CT26-27. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/82/CT26-27.
- --- SAB33210 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1985 . AAS/GR/85/CT89. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/85/CT89.
- --- 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.
- --- SAB8746 Bibliographic reference: AOC ARCHAEOLOGY. 2024. MEMORIAL HEADSTONE STABILISATION PROGRAMME: SUMMARY REPORT.
- --- SAB8796 Bibliographic reference: AOC ARCHAEOLOGY. 2023. MEMORIAL HEADSTONE STABILISATION PROGRAMME MORAY COUNCIL: ARCHAEOLOGICAL SUPPORT SERVICES WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION. WSI.
- --- SAB889 Bibliographic reference: JERVISE, A. 1879. EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2. N. 271-2.
Finds (1)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Sep 17 2025 12:21PM
