Elgin

The City and Royal Burgh of Elgin, the 'county town' of Morayshire, is picturesquely situated on the south bank of the River Lossie. It has been commented that, "There is hardly another town in Scotland whose origin is so legendary."¹ However, there is not as yet, the slightest evidence to justify a claim for an earlier foundation than the 11th century, except the Class II symbol-bearing stone known as the Elgin Pillar, which was discovered in 1823 by men carrying out repairs to the road to the north-east of the present Parish Church of St Giles {NGR: NJ 2159 6285}. It now stands at the west end of the Choir of the Cathedral, on its north side.² The fact that the stone was carved from a piece of coarse-grained, reddish grey, granite, with a rough surface and large crystals of feldspar - a stone not found in the near vicinity of Elgin, would lead us to believe that it was either produced elsewhere and brought to Elgin, or brought to Elgin to be carved in-situ. The former is the more likely since there is no tradition of such stone-carving in Elgin itself - the closest manufactuory being at Kinneddar, but the output here was produced using sandstone as the raw-material, not granite. In the Scottish Burgh Survey of 1982, Anne Simpson and Sylvia Stevenson wrote, "The discovery of a Pictish symbol stone within the confines of the kirkyard … raises some questions as to the antiquity of the site. There was no urban tradition amongst the Picts and the presence of the stone is not necessarily indicative of continuity of settlement."³

Elgin was perhaps of lesser importance in the Dark Age period than the community which had grown up on drier ground around Meft and Urquhard further to the east {NGR: NJ 27_63_} where the land reached heights of 50m above mean sea level. During recent archaeological investigations it was noted that, "Amphibian bones (frog or toad) and bones of water shrew suggest wet conditions in the burgh, possibly the result of flooding of the Lossie."⁵ There is no doubt that Elgin was a damp place in those times and there were more attractive places to live!

Erected in the later 12th century,⁶ the Parish Church of Elgin, dedicated to St Giles (or St Egidius as some would have it), reflected the growing importance of the town which is shown by it development as one of the royal centres in the north of Scotland. William the Lion issued 14 charters from Elgin between 1165 and 1214, in contrast to only one from Inverness and six from Aberdeen.⁷

The parish church occupied an island in the centre of what is now the High Street. It would appear that it was this church that was granted by William the Lion to the Bishop of Moray between 1187 and 1189.⁸ In 1390 it, along with much of the town, was burned by the Wolf of Badenoch. However, the damage must not have been catastrophic since the restored church went on to survive subsequent raids in 1402 by Alexander Macdonald of the Isles, and 1452, during the Douglas troubles.⁹ The church originally consisted of a nave, 80ft long and 60ft wide, of four bays with north and south aisles, short transepts, a central tower and a choir. The nave and aisles were separated by two rows of 'massy cylindric columns' and the tower had a 'saddle-roof'. The nave roof, which had been covered with stone slabs rather than slates, collapsed in 1679, and the necessary re-construction was completed in 1684. This work also required the restoration of the upper part of the west gable which had been damaged when the roof collapsed. The transepts were removed in the early 18th century (between 1700 and 1740). The choir - or 'the Meikle (Little) Kirk' as it had become known - which had been partitioned off from the rest of the church in 1621, was demolished in 1800. When the transepts were also removed, the Meikle Kirk was effectively separated from the Nave and it continued to exist for some time as a quasi-independent chapel.
Finally, in 1826, the nave, or 'Muckle Kirk' was demolished and the surrounding graveyard was cleared away, with many cartloads of human remains being either re-buried within the grounds of the cathedral or mixed with earth and carried to the outskirts of the town and used as a dressing for pasture land!¹⁰ In this year also, the present 'classical' building was commenced. When a friend of the author was at Edinburgh Art College, this building was presented to the students as a wonderful example of the Greek Revival style of architecture - thankfully, tastes have changed since then! In my opinion, St Giles is a singularly unattractive building both outside and within and this opinion seems to have been supported by Mr H.B. Mackintosh.¹¹

An important point to make note of here is that the parish of Elgin did not include the parts of the more modern burgh known as Lesmurdie and parts of Newmills, north-east of the River Lossie. These lands were always part of the parish of St Andrews.

Saint Giles - Patron Saint of Elgin.

St Giles (d. 710) was famed for healing cripples and, consequently, many of the churches which were dedicated to him were located on the outskirts of towns, near a chief entrance, in order to afford poor and lame travellers entering from the countryside a ready opportunity to seek the Saint's aid.¹² When the orginal Parish Church was built in Elgin, it was situated on the eastern outskirts of the town as it then was; for in those early days many buildings stood more to the west. The area immediately to the east of the Ladyhill, with its royal Castle, was a natural attraction for commercial activities. Gradually, the town migrated further eastwards and came to surround the site of the Parish Church.¹³

In the Elgin Burgh Court Book is this rather curious entry, dated 3rd October, 1547¹⁴ -

It is to be wondered if any other burgh (let alone Royal Burgh) in Scotland ever elected their patron Saint to the office of Provost! However, it is important to note that this meeting of the Burgh Council was held only twenty-three days after the disastrous Battle of Pinkie Cleugh, on the banks of the River Esk, near Musselburgh. The same council meeting also issued a proclamation throughout the Burgh to the effect that no widow could marry that year without the consent of the provost and magistrates. Since the Provost was a Saint who was long since dead, this permission could not be given and therefore the edict, in effect, banned all marriages for one year. It is thought that this arrangement was made from a fear that the heirs of those who fell at Pinkie might otherwise suffer the loss of their inheritance.¹⁵ Many of Elgin's burghers lost their lives at Pinkie, the Fiery Cross having been sent round by the Earl of Angus.

The people of Elgin, like those across the whole of the north of Scotland in post-Reformation times, adhered tenaciously to many Superstitions which had come down through the generations from both Roman Catholic times and even before, from the Dark Ages. Historians wax lyrical about the Pagan celebration of Up Helly Aa but they tend to pigeon-hole it amongst the many traditions of the Norse people still celebrated in the Northern Isles today. Nearer to 'home' we have the Burning of the Clavie, a celebration still held only a few miles away at Burghead; and only a little further away, at Stonehaven, the local people to this day still celebrate the Fireball Festival on Hogmanay. These are all Hogmanay (New Year) celebrations which have fire as their common element. But Elgin, too, had traditional celebrations involving fire and, of course, because of the association with Pagan or Druidical beliefs, they were utterly condemned by the Presbyterian Church after the Reformation. The following is an extract from the Burgh Court Book which shows the determination there was to stop these idolatrous practices:

It is interesting to note that, from 1613, the parish was a collegiate charge comprising two clergymen. The Magistrates and Council had the patronage of both until the return of Episcopacy when they were returned to the crown. Later, at the end of Episcopacy, the patronage reverted to the Provost and Burgesses. In 1809, each of the two clergymen had equal stipends and each also had a glebe of about 4 acres, but the manse was the reserve of the 'senior minister'.

As we have already noted, within the old parish church, in addition to the High Altar, there were a number of additional ante-chapels. Over time, individuals came to endow these chapels and the Burgh Records occasionally reveal their names and their dedications.

Charter Evidence for Chapelries in St Giles.

1286 (c.8 September) On the Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin, Hugo Herock, burgess of Elgin, grants his lands of Daldeleyt (Dandeleith) for the support of two perpetual chaplains. One is to serve at the altar of St. Nicholas in the cathedral, the other at the altar of the Holy Cross in the parish church, where prayers should be said for his own soul, and that of Margaret, his wife, and their parents and children; also, for the soul of Alexander III., the illustrious King of Scotland, and the souls of Archibald, Bishop of Moray, and his successors. The chaplains are each to be paid 6 merks per annum, ½ at Pentecost and ½ at Michaelmas.¹⁸

1363 (20 October) William de Soreys, burgess of Elgin, grants 50s. per annum out of the rents paid to him by Henricus, son of Roberti, for certain perches of burgh land in the south of Elgin. This sum is to augment the income of the altar of the B.V.M. in the parish church of Elgin, in return for prayers for his own soul, those of his predecessors and successors, and all the faitful. Fine for failure - £40 towards the fabric of the cathedral.¹⁹

1363 (12 November) Willelmus Pop, son and heir of Willelmi Pop, burgess of Elgin, for the health of the souls of his predecessors, grants lands, etc. {see end-note for details} to augment a chaplain serving the altar of the B.V.M. in the parish church of St Giles.²⁰

1365 (die Jovis in festo St Gregorii, pape.) Ricardus filius Johannis, burgess of Elgin, founds a chaplainry at the altar of the B.V.M. in the church of St Giles of Elgin, for the soul of his wife Elizote, Johannis and Emme his parents, and the souls of all the faithful departed.
The chaplain is to receive 100s. per annum, ½ at Pentecost and ½ at Michaelmas, and the rents of certain properties {detailed in the charter}.
The chaplain is also to have a house (burgagium) and a croft {see original charter for details}.
The Bishop and Chapter are to have the right of presentation.²¹

1398 (feast of the holy martyrs Abdon' et Sennen)²² An inquisition mandated by Bishop Willelmi into the 'chaplainry of Daldeleth' founded by Hugonem Herok at the altar of the Holy Cross in the parish church of Elgin - gives full details of its possessions.
Likewise, for the chaplainry founded by Richardum, son of Johannis, at the altar of the Blessed Mary in the said church.
The gift of 20d. and a stone of wax per annum by Andreas, son of Sythach, is recorded.
It is detailed that these bothans, "because of the fire," only pay one stone of wax to the altar per annum.²³

1529 (11 May) - The King confirmed a charter granted by Alexander Gaderar sen., burgess of Elgin, whereby for the weal of the soul of Isobella, his spouse, he mortified to Master Thomas Gaderar, his son, chaplain, and his successors, celebrating at the altar of St Duthac, Bishop, in the Parish Church of Elgin, a rood of land with garden and croft on the south side of the burgh for a manse for said chaplain, two acres near the burgh of Forres, on the south thereof, near Hawthornhill (Thornhill? {NGR: NJ 031583}); 2s. of yearly rent from the east land of William Douglas, sen., burgess of Elgin, on the north side of the said burgh; 8s. from a rood of land of Alexander Gaderare, jun., there; 10s. from a rood of Alexander Crane, there; 10s. from John Scherare's land near Carsmannis-wynd; 5s. from a rood of land of James Brebinar there; 10s. from a rood of the said William Douglas there; 24s. from two roods of Thomas Baldon there; 14s. from the land of Alexander George there; 12s. from the land of Alexander Duf there; 8s. from the land of David Andersone there; 6s. from the land of John Rob there; 13s. from a rood of the said Alexander George there; 2s. from the land of John Smyth there; 5s. from a rood of land of the said Alexander Gaderar, possessed by Alexander Hay, on the south side of the said burgh; 5s. from the land of Margaret Dunbrek, spouse of Alexander Cattoure, there; 4s. from a rood of William Coupar there; 2s. from a rood of John Allan there; 5s. from the land of the said Alexander Gaderar on the north side of the said burgh; 6s. from the land of Andrew Tulloch, burgess of Forres, on the north side of the said burgh.²⁴

1544 (12 October) - "James Kar, chaplain of the ruid service (Holy Rood) within the paroch kirk … ". He is to have "tueff merkis" (twelve merks) per annum out of the common purse of the burgh, ½ at Whitsun, ½ at Martinmas, for his lifetime for as long as he carries out his duties in the kirk and the school.²⁵

1545 (16 June)- Andro Strang is referred to in the Burgh Court Book as, "cheplane of the chaplanry of our Lade within the paroche kirk … ".²⁶

1546 (4 May) - At the Head Burgh Court, (Sir) Thomas Rage [Rag] is admitted to a chaplainry [unspecified] in the Parish Church.²⁷

1548 (13 November) - Sanct Kathereinis croft was set to William Gaderar.²⁸

1550 (26 October) - " … that the baillies call the chaplanis of the {parish?} kirk and put ordour to them anent the uphalding of Goddis service and that they tabill certane honest men for gadering of Sanct Gelis lycht."²⁹

1571 (29 January) - "Sir Florens Vinister [Winchester?], cheplan, comperit and ouergef fra him the lyfrent of Boyllis hortchet lyand upon the south syd of the said burgh quhilik he presentlie dwellis into with houses, biggingis, horchet and zairdis [houses, buildings, orchard and yards] standing thairupoun lyand betuix the lands of Our Lady chaplandry fundit within the paroche kirk of Elgin at the eist part and the stane wall sumtyme of the freiris minoris of the said burgh at the vest extending linally fra the bak passage of the said burgh at the north part to the croftis of land sumtyme pertenand to Thomas Zoung, now pertenand to Thomas Hay at the sowth part in fauoris of Jhone Annand, provest of Elgin."³⁰

1572 (6 October) - At the Head Court. - The jugis hes ordanit twenty shillyngis yearly annuel to be uptakin furth of the ruid of land sumtym pertenying to (Sir) John Gibson and to Hector Angus lyand upon the North syd of the burgh of Elgin to be payit to (Sir) Thomas Robertson, chepland of Sanct Kathereinis caplenry fundit within the paroche kirk of the said burgh and to his successoris cheplanis thairof, quhilkis failzeing to the provest, bailzeis, cunsall and thesauraris thairof to be furtcumand to the utility and profeit of the commond guid of the said burgh as donatoris of the said chaplenry with vi s. viij d. to the thesaurer thairof and his successouris.³¹

1581 (3 July) - "The bailzeis ordanis the officiaris to pass to the personell presens of the haill personis within this burgh addetit in payment of the annuall rentis pertening to the chepland of Sanct Duthois chaplandrie fundat within the paroche kirk of Elgin and charge thame for to mak payment thairof to Johne Annand, provest of Elgin, quha is lauchfullie provydit to the said chaplandrie be his said fader patroun of the said chaplanrie lyk as he is to all emolumentis and proffettis thairof be the demission of Sir John Gibsone last chapland thairof."³²

1647 (20 December) - Disposition by James Sutherland, tutor of Duffus, in favour of Thomas Calder of Sheriffmylne of two auchten pairts of land with the new land, grass lands and pertinents therof, togidder also with the moss vaird perteining therto of breid [breadth] threttie two speace and of lenth [length] extending from St Keathreine croft at the north to the burne of Tayok at the south.³³

1727 (19 June) - Town Council Minutes. - "In respect the Guildrie have lately purchased from James Fraser the lands at the southwest end of the town called St Kathrine's crofts and there being some green ground on the north side of the said croft capable of improvement the Councill authorize the gildrie to till and improve the said piece of green ground and to march the same with the highway leading by the lands of Bilbohall to the toun provydeing they preserve and highway of fourtie foots of breadth leading to the toun betwixt the saids lands of St Kathrins at the south and the aughten part land of Elgin to the north."³⁴

[Some confusion exists here caused by the fact that there was a chaplainry of St Katherine/Catherine in both the parish church and the cathedral.]

The Incorporated Trades.

King Robert the Bruce, in his charter conferring the Earldom of Moray on his nephew, Thomas Randolph, reserved to his burgesses of Elgin the same liberties they had previously enjoyed in the reign of Alexander I., and about 1151 David I., gave the concession of a free 'hanse' to the burgesses, under which grant they acquired the right of free trade within the burgh, and the privilege of associating with each other 'in defence of their rights.'

It was during David's reign that primitive Craft Guilds are mentioned as existing in Scotland but, with the coming of the year 1214, a new order began. Besides materially affecting the character of the Craft Guilds, it placed them in relations with the Town Council, which, if not absolutely new, was seen to be much more important than before and this bore many advantages.

King William the Lion confirmed to all his burgesses in Moray their free hanse, to be held when they chose, where they chose, as freely and honourably as they held it in the time of his grandfather, King David. And Alexander II., on the 28th day of November, 1234, granted a charter at Elgin, addressed to the burgesses of the town, conferring on them the rights of a merchant guild as fully and freely as any burgh in Scotland possessed. This is the oldest Royal Charter possessed by Elgin.³⁵

The Parish Church of Elgin was an important place for the Incorporated Trades and each had an altar situated in one of the aisles of the church at which mass would be said by a priest who acted as the Guild's chaplain.³⁶ It would appear that certainly one, if not all, of these altars were 'decorated' with the craft's emblems. When the church was re-built following the collapse of the roof in 1679, it was furnished with lofts for the various Guilds. These lofts replaced the altars which were swept away by the advocates of the new Protestant faith. Mackinlay tells us that, "One of the craft emblems which adorned the lofts of the parish church of St Giles at Elgin was associated with the shoemakers, and received the name of The Crown of St Crispin."³⁷

The Demise of the Old Parish Church and the Building of the New.

On Sunday, 22nd June 1679, the day of the Battle of Bothwell Bridge, shortly after the forenoon service, the roof of St Giles Church fell in! It had been roofed with heavy freestone slabs and the supporting woodwork had decayed. Only the nave was destroyed, the side aisles and the arches and pillars that separated them from the nave survived, as did the tower and the choir. However, damage was also caused to part of the western gable of the nave.

Plans were drawn up for the repair of the church and almost exactly a year after the disaster, on June 14th, 1680, the following appears in the Town Council Minutes:

By 1684, the church had been repaired at the substantial cost of about £4000 Scots. These repairs entailed the re-building of the upper part of the west gable, re-roofing the building, and re-seating the interior. The pulpit, Magistrates' loft, and many other lofts, were of massive oak and richly carved. The Trades Lofts had the emblems of their Crafts emblazoned upon them. In keeping with the excellent architectural traditions that Elgin Town Council has ever exhibited, the north and south transepts were removed about the year 1700 to widen the street. The interior of the roof was of open woodwork but, as it was found to be cold inside the church (especially in the winter months), the Town Council resolved in 1753 that it should be plastered, and a grant for this work was voted out of the Common Good Fund. In 1800, the Little Kirk which had been the choir of the old church, was taken down leaving only the old nave and the tower. Within the nave, the roof and side-aisles were supported by five massive pillars on each side, connected by 'pointed' arches. Four of the pillars were square but the central one on each side was round.³⁹ The 'curiously' carved oak pulpit stood at the fourth pillar on the south side. Immediately to the west of it was the Magistrates' Loft, also of carved oak with a canopy of the same. Here, the civic dignitaries and the minister could survey the church interior which, it is said, had 'seating' for upwards of fourteen hundred people.⁴⁰ Four brass hearses or chandeliers of antique workmanship, each containing twelve sockets for candles, were hung from the roof by chains of twisted iron, but the church was only lighted on the occasion of the winter communion which was held on the evening of the first Sunday in November. "It then exhibited a wonderful spectacle. The four chandeliers were filled with candles, and the pulpit and precentor's seat blazed with similar lights. The Magistrates and the Trades Incorporations had their own candlesticks, as also many of the private individuals [in the congregation]. In short, the church when illuminated was a blaze of light."⁴¹

To those who lived at a distance, the Muckle Kirk of Elgin always called up pleasing recollections, and to the native of Elgin, it was an object of sincere reverence. "A general feeling of dismay was experienced when it was determined, in 1826, to sweep it utterly away."⁴² It would appear that symptoms of decay had begun to manifest themselves again, and very probably, another accident like that of 1679 was dreaded. "Yet the pillars and walls were as strong as rocks, and many wished that a repair or reconstruction would have been attempted; but it was decided otherwise."⁴³ At that time a taste for ancient architecture had a place in the minds of the 'leading men' of the town, and to this and to petty party feeling we owe the destruction of one of Elgin's principal landmarks and certainly one of the country's finest church buildings.

On Sunday, 1st October 1826, the Sacrament was dispensed in old St Giles' Church for the last time. The next day, a thanksgiving service was preached by the Rev. Dr Richard Rose, of Drainie. No sooner had the congregation been dismissed than the contractor began to take the slates off the roof, and in the course of only two months the building was levelled to the ground. On 16th January 1827, the foundation stone of the present building was laid by Sir Archibald Dunbar of Northfield, Bt., Convener of the County Council and formerly Lord Provost of the burgh.⁴⁴ The architect of this Greek wonder was Mr. Archibald Simpson of Aberdeen. The building was finished in August 1828 and opened for public worship the following month on 28th October. The cost is estimated to have been in the order of £8700. It has been noted that the stone used for the building came from the Oakwood Quarry, sometimes called the Hospital Quarry since it was also used to provide stone for the building of Dr Gray's Hospital. Since Archibald Simpson was also the architect for the Anderson Institute (1830-33), it is most likely that the same quarry provided the stone for it also.⁴⁵

The ground, for a considerable distance around the Church of St Giles, was used as a place of burial from a very early period and many ancient tombstones have been uncovered at various times during road works and other excavations. Most famous was the discovery of what is commonly called The Elgin Pillar (see above), which was found at a depth of about two feet and to the north-east of the church.

It was the tradition across Scotland in the medieval era to use churchyards as a market-place for the community and for holding a town's Fair, and it is most likely that Elgin followed the same tradition. The Fair of St Giles is specifically mentioned in 1389 and that the churchyard was regularly used as the Market Place is alluded to in 1365.⁴⁶ At least three 'special' market days or fairs were held in Elgin:

Other Churches and Chapels in the parish .

Chapel of St John {} : There was a Chapel of St John (Evan) in Elgin, whose site, as Bishop Pococke tells us, was later occupied about the middle of the 18th century by an Episcopal place of worship.⁴⁷
1505 "Item: the xiiij day of October in Sanct Johnis Chapell (Elgin), to the Kingis offerand on the bred, xiiij shillings. Item: To the priest of the samyn chapell to say mes there, xx shillings."⁴⁸ No further information has been gleaned except that the chapel stood on the south side of the High Street, somewhere close to Number 80.

St Peter's Chapel {NGR: NJ ?} The entry regarding Elgin in the Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae tells us that, "Elgin had … a chapel of St Peter, founded in 1480 by George, second Earl of Huntly."⁴⁹ One of the family historians of the Gordons writes that, "Earl George built the priory of Kingussie, and St. Peter's Church in Elgin."⁵⁰ To date, we have found no other record of this suggested chapel.

Elgin Castle Chapel {NGR: NJ 212628}: As would be expected, there is known to have been a chapel within the Royal Castle on top of the Lady Hill. The chapel is mentioned in 1351 when, in a deed of Isabella, Countess of Moray, the widdow of Randolph, a grant is made of certain lands for the endowment of a chaplaincy at Elgin which was to provide for services being celebrated "at the altar of John the Baptist, in the Chapel of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in the Castle."⁵¹ The Chapel is believed to have stood on the little plateau to the north-west of the castle precincts.⁵² We see here that the Chapel must have been of a reasonable size since not only did it have a High Altar (presumably dedicated to the Blessed Virgin) but it was also able to accommodate at least one subsidiary altar dedicated to St John.
In the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland there is an entry in 1459-60 stating that "a chaplain in the castle [of Elgin] received two merks from "le Greyfschipe de Elgyn," besides eight merks he received from the lands of Pittendreich.⁵³
1477 (22 November) - The King granted to James of Douglas and his heirs certain lands in the Lordship of Moray, he paying inter alia the sum of £5 6s. 8d. yearly from the lands of Pittendreich to a chaplain of the old foundation, on the Castle Hill of Elgyne.⁵⁴ Similar payments are recorded in the years 1508 and 1514.
In 1557, with the Reformation just below the horizon, the sum of 40s was paid as usual to the chaplain in the cathedral (Domine Regis Chaplainry), but there are no entries referring to payments made to the chaplain in the castle and this reflects the trend at this time for the withdrawal of support for the 'royal' chaplainries, the accustomed payments being made instead directly to the Crown.⁵⁵

Inverlochty - St John the Baptist {NGR: NJ 185618}: According to H.B. Mackintosh, Rev. Lachlan Shaw recorded that a chapel dedicated to St John stood at Inverlochty, but nothing more seems to be known of it.⁵⁶

Pittendreich {NGR: NJ 196613} At Mains of Pittendreich, on the south side of a knoll, there was a hermitage or cell for an anchorite, which shared the same destiny as the Hospital at Bogside.⁵⁷ Mackintosh wrote, "At Pittendreich take the road to the left. Old maps indicate a religious house here - a Hermitage or desertum in connexion with the early Church of Birnie - but its site and extent are unknown. A fragment of a finely sculptured stone belonging to it is in Elgin Museum." There is no trace of the hermitage today and a recent communication from Elgin Museum informed me that, " … there has been no record of the stone's being identified in the Museum for many years, if ever. Just possible it has never been labelled and is an unidentifiable piece of sculptured stone."⁵⁸
However, there is a 'knoll' lying between the modern farms of Easter and Wester Pittendriech (presumably the old farm of Mains of Pittendreich), near where the old Castle of Pittendreich is believed to have stood. This may be close to where the hermitage is supposed to have been located, however, one source shows the supposed site to have been at {NGR: NJ 189610}.⁵⁹ An old 'doocote' which stands close by bore an heraldic panel showing the Douglas arms - the family of Douglas being proprieors of the castle from the mid 14th century to mid 17th century.

Bogside {NGR: NJ 202572} Amongst the buildings of the Hospital at Bogside there was a chapel which is said to have been dedicated to St. John the Baptist.⁶⁰ Quite probably it was incorporated within the main hall/dormitory as was the custom. A full account of this house is given elsewhere.

Longmorn {NGR: NJ 232584} Some writers say that the old place-name here was Lhan-Morgan or Lhanmorgund.
"The Forest of Laundmorgund (Longmorn) was one of the principal royal forests in the north of Scotland.⁶¹ Mention is made of the Bishop of Moray, who possessed a portion of it, surrendering the same along with other holdings to King Alexander II., and receiving in exchange the forest of Rothiemurchus.⁶² Longmorn Forest had a keeper appointed by the Crown to enforce the strict 'forest laws'; and in the days of King Edward I., it abounded with stately oaks that were an equal to those found in the forests of Darnaway.⁶³
The church site at Longmorn is said to be of considerable antiquity, dating back to a community (muinntir) of the Early Church that was establised here. Only about 250 yards to the north of the chapel stood Culbockhillock, the supposed site of a Duidical place of worship. At the time that H.B. Mackintosh was writing, in 1924, he commented that, "This hillock was [only] recently removed."⁶⁴ Fragments of a food vessel and bones were found scattered on the east side of this site in 1864.⁶⁵

Pluscarden {NGR: NJ ?} It has been suggested that there was an old chapel of considerable antiquity within the Vale of St Andrew. The suggestion was that this chapel pre-dated the famous Priory. There was certainly a chapel of St Andrew which was a pendicle of the Parish Church and it was situated within the Vale of St Andrew, i.e. Pluscarden.

Thunderton House {NGR: NJ 215628}

Lachlan Shaw reported that at Thunderton House, once the town residence of the Earls of Moray in the 14th and 15th centuries, after the castle was ruined, there was a private chapel "in the garden".⁶⁶

Mary Well {NGR: NJ 208627} There has long been a tradition that the old well at this location was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and was used to supply water which was then consecrated for religious purposes and used at both the Cathedral and the chapel at the Castle. It is quite possible that the link with the chapel on the Castle Hill (Ladyhill) is true, but it would seem to be a disproportionate distance from the Cathedral. The present-day stonework is quite modern but it is possible that the spring is ancient. Having, as a lad, tasted the water when the spring was more properly maintained, I can vouch for its sweet and refreshing nature.

In 1962, the Well was described as follows - "At ground level it measures 0.9 x 0.7 metres, below which it is stepped down 0.2 metres to an opening 0.4 x 0.5 metres which holds water apparently to a depth of about 0.3 metres." Mr. H.B. Mackintosh narrates that the well water "is said to be colder and of more specific gravity (higher density) in summer than in winter."⁶⁷