Croy

This parish, which is sometimes found referred to as Croyn, has left only a very faint footprint in the historical record. The location of the ancient, pre-Reformation, church is described as being "lost". The present building was erected in 1764.

Alasdair Ross observes that, "… it looks as if Croy was originally a very small parish of perhaps only three dabhaichean in extent."² Later in his thesis, in the maps he has drawn,³ he identifies only two dabhaichean that may have comprised the parish of Croy - those of Easter Kilravock (Tomluncart and Knockanbuie; both of ½ dabhach; Tomnacroich; Mossend; Lochend; Poldauuach) and Wester Kilravock. However, these properties in Easter Kilravock, which are still marked on maps (Tomluncart {NGR NH 843526}; Knockanbuie {NGR NH 842522}; Lochend {NGR NH 846531}), are very close together and it is difficult to imagine that they comprised all of Easter Kilravock.

If any proof was needed of the antiquity of the community around Croy one would only need to consider the details of the Croy Hoard found in an area centred at {NGR NH 7950 4936}. One part was found by a girl who was planting potatoes in the spring of 1875 and consists of a Pictish silver penannular brooch (c.820AD); part of a band made of knitted silver wire; a silver penny of Coenwulf, King of Mercia (AD769-821), made by the moneyer Eanmund; two glass and two amber beads and part of a bronze balance beam, which may possibly be dated to the 8th century. At least one other coin and a number of beads were found but these were lost by the finder. A second part of the hoard was found near the of Mains of Croy in 1875 or 1876. It consisted of one, and almost a half of another, silver penannular brooch; one amber and two glass beads; and a coin of Aethelwulf, King of Wessex (AD839-858), made by the moneyer Deineah.⁴ Near to the find site stands the extraordinary Clach na Sanais ('stone of warning' or 'whisper' or 'secret'). Traditionally, this stone was where a member of Clan Cumming warned the MacIntoshes of the Cummings' plan to massacre them when the MacIntoshes were to be feasted at the Cummings' Castle of Rait {NGR NH 894525}. Forewarned, the MacIntoshes accepted the hospitality but then massacred the Cummings - except, of course, the informer!

However, the matter of the medieval church of Croy has no ready solution. The evidence noted below would lead us to believe that there was a church somewhere in the parish at least as early as 1226 and possibly as far back as 1145 or further. Although a prebend was created from the 'parsonages' of Croy and Lunyn, the two churches were not united as a result of this. Indeed, Lunyn (Moy) {NGR NH 772342} is situated at some distance from Croy. We must remember Ross' comments (see above) that Croy was a very small parish and this seems to be borne out by the evidence. Much of the land hereabout was part of Dalcross parish and even Easter Kilravock is noted as being part of Dalcross in one source.⁵ In summary - the lands of Croy and the advowson of 'the church' are claimed to have been in the hands of the de Moravia family since c.1150; the parish of Croy existed c.1236; it was very small; the parsonage tithes of Croy (with those of Moy) formed the prebend of a canonry (the Bishop's Vicar) in Elgin Cathedral having his own residence within the Chanonry; the location of the medieval church is unknown.

 

 

Kilravock: There is a strong tradition of a chapel having stood close to Kilravock Castle where now there are the ruins of an old dovecote. The chapel's existence is certain, as we can see from the records of an 'Inquisitio' held in 1343 to settle a dispute between the Laird of Kilravock, Hugh de Ros, and the then Prior of Urquhard, William Buttyrgask.⁶ Urquhard Priory held property in Kilravock to the value of £24, namely - a brew-house or malt-house; pasturage for 30 animals with their young; 80 sheep; two horses; forest rights, etc. The Vicar of Dalcross,⁷ was to be required to celebrate mass twice per week at the chapel at Kilravock and the Prior agreed to provide all that was necessary to allow him to perform these services. The family of Kilravock first established themselves on the estate of Geddes, a little distance to the east and close to the castle and lands of Raite. Here, there was theChapel of Raite dedicated to St Mary {NGR NH 888529} and this chapel, now a ruin, was the ancestral burial place of the Kilravock family for many generations.

1226 (9 October) W. de M (Walter de Moravia) says that he and his family have had the lands of Croy(n) for the past 80 years, along with the advowson of the church. Walter quitclaims the lands of Croyn to the bishop.⁸

1226 Bishop Andrew 'constitutit' the prebend of Croyn & Lunyn in the cathedral at Elgin and stipulated that the canon holding the prebend was to act as the bishop's vicar - deputizing for the Bishop when required. ⁹

In 1618, the two parishes of Croy and Dalcross were united.¹⁰