Building record MAB8871 - CHURCH OF DUNDURCAS

Remains of a church and a graveyard, built in the early to mid-18th century on the site of previous churches, the earliest of which is thought to date from the 13th century.

Remains of a church and a graveyard, built in the early to mid-18th century on the site of previous churches, the earliest of which is thought to date from the 13th century. The parish of Dundurcas appears to have evolved prior to 1244. Around 1274 it is on record as a vicarage. It was subsequently annexed to the Hospital of Rathven. In 1445, the joint revenues were used to found a prebend in Aberdeen Cathedral. At the Reformation, the parsonage remained annexed to the benefice of Rathven. Its revenues were then utilised to support a staller in Aberdeen and six bedesmen of the hospital. Dundurcas appears to have been quite wealthy as the Abbey of Kinloss also received certain revenues from the fruits of this church. The present building and graveyard are located on the summit of a naturally mounded site which may have been utilised as a defensive site in the past, as there is a slight ditch on the Southwest side of the mound. The church is a rectangular-plan, rubble-built building, standing to roof height, with an intact bellcote on the West gable, although the bell has been removed to Cullen House (NJ56NW0003). The church measures 15.6 m (51.2 feet) East-West, by 8.1 m (26.6 feet) North-South, over walls 0.7 m (2.3 feet) thick. The church was suppressed in 1782, its lands being divided between Boharm and Rothes. The graveyard is enclosed by simple coped drystone walls of circa 1830. There are a pair of tooled square granite gatepiers at the West, with shaped caps and a pair of plain spearhead cast-iron gates. There are 18th, 19th and 20th century tombstones. Monumental inscriptions within the churchyard were recorded by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group in 2007 - 2008. They include a tombstone of The Rev John Marshall who died in 1651.

Period Notes
The earliest church is thought to date from the 13th century, and there is certainly Medieval use. There is a lintel on the present church dated 1760, but it was probably built in the early- to mid-18th century. The church was suppressed in 1782. The graveyard walls date to circa 1830, and there are tombstones from the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries. Listed designation was given on 09/11/1987, and scheduled designation on 17/02/1993. The listed description was updated in 2015 to exclude the church.

Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, VOL IX(1931) 157 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No18(1871) 84 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

MACKINTOSH, HB, 1924, PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY, 101-2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1145.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2003, NEWSLETTER, Issue 10, p.8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5098.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2008, MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS: DUNDURCAS CHURCHYARD AND MACALLAN CHURCHYARD AND FOCHABERS, MOSSTODLOCH AND MULBEN WAR MEMORIALS (Bibliographic reference). SAB7645.

Jun 13 1988 , JASAIR NJ35 26.88.138, JASAIR NJ35 26.88.138 (Air-vertical Photograph). SAB30676.

Mar 9 1995 , AAS/95/03/G7/1-6, AAS/95/03/G7/1-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31149.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ROTHES 2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Record last edited

Sep 5 2025 10:43AM