Building record MAB9069 - CHURCH OF ESSIL

Graveyard, and the remains of Essil parish church, mentioned in the early-13th century Charters of Bishop Bricius and dedicated to St.

Graveyard, and the remains of Essil parish church, mentioned in the early-13th century Charters of Bishop Bricius and dedicated to St. Peter the Apostle. It was the seat of sub-treasurer of Elgin Cathedral. It was allowed to fall into ruin after Easil parish was incorporated into Speymouth in 1731. The graveyard is still in use, and has been extended to the North. The original graveyard area is roughly circular, and sits on top of a mounded area. It is enclosed with a low coped rubble wall with cast-iron railings. The walls were renewed in the mid-19th century. The entrance to the East is flanked by a pair of mid-19th century octagonal gatepiers with shallow facetted caps and a pair of cast-iron gates. The extension to the North is rectangular and is enclosed with a hedge, with an entrance to the East flanked with plain square gatepiers with flat caps and a walled entranceway leading into the graveyard. It also is situated on top of a mound. The old graveyard was recorded in 2002 by the Moray Burial Ground Research Group. It includes several large enclosures and a wide variety of gravestones including early-18th century table stones, flat stones, tablets mounted on the walls of enclosures, Victorian upright stones and Commonwealth War Graves Commission military stones. There are 17th, 18th and 19th century tombstones. Many of the stones relate to the Geddes or Geddie family, who, for many generations, were prominent shipbuilders at Speymouth. Two isolated fragments of the church wall survive, each adapted to display a memorial stone. It is not certain that fragments are still in-situ. The alternative spelling Essle is also used. The graveyard contains two First World War Commonwealth war graves, of Privates James Alexander Clark (died 4 April 1915) and W Simpson (died 2 March 1919), both Seaforth Highlanders. The headstone of Private Simpson also commemorates Private J Simpson (Seaforth Highlanders) killed in action in France 31 July 1916.

Period Notes
Church mentioned in a charter of 1208 - 15. Allowed to fall into ruin after 1731, but the graveyard has remained in use, with 17th, 18th and 19th century gravestones. The walls were renewed and gatepiers built in the mid-19th century. Listed designation given on 24/03/1988.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No19(1871) 2-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 26-1-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.

MACKINTOSH, HB, 1924, PILGRIMAGES IN MORAY, 90-1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1145.

MORAY BURIAL GROUND RESEARCH GROUP, 2003, THE FORGOTTEN TOMBSTONES OF MORAY: VOLUME I DIPPLE, ESSIL AND KIRKHILL (Bibliographic reference). SAB7661.

HISTORIC SCOTLAND, 2005, RESEARCHING YOUR GRAVEYARD, p. 14-15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4345.

Jul 19 2015 , AAS-GR-15-07-126 - 135, AAS-GR-15-07-126 - 135 (Ground Photograph). SAB32261.

Jun 9 2008 , Untitled Source (Ground Photograph). SAB32193.

Record last edited

Jan 29 2024 12:45PM