The Scalan  (Braes of Glenlivet)

Scalan Webpage for History and Description of the Building

The original building was raided by Government troops in 1726 and 1728 and burned to the ground after Culloden.  The laws against Roman Catholicism were rarely enforced with any rigour after that, and today’s more substantial building was erected in 1767.   The building has been much restored in recent years and gives a fascinating insight into the lives of its occupants in these times.

Open throughout the year at all times.

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Ardclach Church and Bell Tower

Historic Scotland Webpage for Ardclach (location)

Canmore Webpage for Ardclach Church (description)

Canmore Webpage for Ardclach Bell Tower (description)

Geograph Webpage for Ardclach (photographs)

Neither the Church nor the Bell Tower are that exciting, but they lie in a beautiful location and are worth the short detour if you are traveling along the Grantown/Nairn road – nice spot for a picnic.  The Church, which hasn't been used since 1956 and is sadly all boarded up, lies on a piece of flat land beside the River Findhorn in quite a deep, narrow valley, and there are a couple of real hairpin bends down to it.  The tower at the top of the hill was originally used as a lookout tower and prison before the Church was allowed to put its bell in it so that it could be heard further afield.  This was an important crossing point on the Findhorn, and you can still see the remains of the bridge that was washed away in the Muckle Spate of 1829.

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Barevan Church    (near Cawdor Castle)

Firths Celtic Scotland Webpage for Barevan - you'll need to click on "Barevan" in the menu

Royal Commission on Ancient Monuments webpage for Barevan

This medieval ruin is worth a visit if you're in the vicinity.  Last used as a parish church in 1619, but the Cawdor congregation still hold an annual, open air service here.  It's a beautifully peaceful place and obviously still cared for with its neatly mown graveyard - the present Dowager Duchess of Cawdor has buried her parents and her late husband here and presumably also commissioned the sculpture.  There's also a magnificent old Spanish Chestnut growing in one corner.

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The Collegiate Church of St Duthac  (Tain)

Tain Museum Website with details of the Church

Built between 1370 and 1460 to house the shrine of St.Duthac, this is a

beautiful building with a marvellous atmosphere inside.  Before the

Reformation, it was a popular place of pilgrimage, not least for James IV who visited it on many occasions.  Abandoned in 1815 and left to decay, it was renovated and returned as nearly as possible to its original form towards the

end of the century – along with some beautiful stained glass windows.

The Church precincts include a fascinating Pilgrimage Centre and a Museum which includes  fine exhibits of Tain Silverware.

Open April to October: Monday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm.

Tain is certainly a long way from Glenlivet, but if you’ve made it north of Inverness, it’s certainly worth a visit – Glenmorangie Distillery is also here.

And - if you’ve made it that far, Dornoch isn’t that much further with its

beautiful Cathedral and a local museum.

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Tain

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Dornoch

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Dornoch Cathedral

Dornoch History Links Museum Website

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Birnie Kirk (just south of Elgin)

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Birnie Kirk

Built around the middle of the twelfth century, Birnie Kirk is one of the oldest church buildings in continuous use in Scotland.

Open daily

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Pluscarden  (near Elgin)

Pluscarden Abbey Website

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Pluscarden Abbey

Founded in 1230, it is the only medieval monastery in Britain still inhabited

by monks and being used for its original purpose.

Open daily from 4:30am to 8:30pm

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Elgin Cathedral

Historic Scotland Webpage for Elgin Cathedral

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Elgin Cathedral

Historic Scotland

One of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval buildings and its largest cathedral after St.Andrews.  Quite a magnificent ruin, much dating back to the 13th century, with one of country’s finest octagonal chapter house and lots of beautifully carved stonework.  You can climb 141 steps right to the top of the north west tower – worth doing just to see the scale of the lead work which weatherproofs both of the western towers.

The history of the cathedral is explained in a series of boards in the ground floor of the South west tower.

Opening times - last ticket sold 30 min before closing time.

1 April - 30 September: daily from 9.30 am to 5.30 pm

October: daily from 9.30 to 4.30 but telephone to check because website ambiguous on this

November - March: Saturday to Wednesday from 9.30 to 4.30 (i.e. closed Thursday and Friday)

Joint ticket with Spynie Palace available

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Deer Abbey  (Mintlaw west of Peterhead)

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Deer Abbey

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Fyvie Church  (between Turriff and Old Meldrum)

Turriff and District Website

Famed for a stained glass depicting the Archangel St. Michael astride the

Wheel of Time and bearing a flaming sword and the Banner of the Cross

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Migvie Kirk  (between Strathdon and Ballater)

Undiscovered Scotland Webpage for Migvie Kirk

You’re unlikely to have seen anything like this before.  It’s a deconsecrated church restored by local artists and craftsmen under the patronage of Philip Astor of the surrounding Tillypronie Estate in memory of his parents.  The interior is a beautifully simple, but thought provoking space – see the link for further details and pictures.  There’s also a carved Pictish Stone in the graveyard.

Door always open

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Blairs Museum  (just west of Aberdeen)

Blairs Museum Website

Housed in part of Blairs College, the former seminary and school that operated from 1829 to 1986, the museum tells the story of how Scottish Catholicism survived the Reformation.  It has a wonderful collection of fabulously embroidered ecclesiastical robes from as far back as the 15th century as well as gold and silverware and Jacobean memorabilia.  There is also a section on The Scalan.  St.Mary’s Chapel, which adjoins the museum itself, is worth a visit in its own right - a trully wonderful space that will leave a lasting impression on anyone.

Opening times - better to check by telephone, but their website lists the following opening times

Apr-Oct: Saturdays 10-5: Sundays 12-5: Holiday Mondays from 10-5

Oct-Mar by appointment

Contact by telephone 01224 863767 or e-mail manager@blairsmuseum.com

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