Inverness Deanery
Dunballoch
(Wardlaw)
Parish Church: OS Ref: NGR NH 524450 H.E.S. No: NH54SW 1 Dedication: St Maurice
Associated Chapels: Lovat House {NGR NH 539461}
The original church of this area was strategically situated beside the 'road' leading to the very important ford which allowed a passage across the River Beauly for both humans and, more importantly, animals - the famous Stockford of Ross. The Ross-shire side of this crossing was guarded by the Corffhouse {NGR NH 514448}, a probable iron-age fort, showing that the ford was of great importance from the very earliest of times. This point on the river is the highest to which ordinary Spring Tides flow so it would have been a reliable crossing-point. The volume of traffic that would have flowed towards the ford would have been very significant and the church of Dunballoch would have been much-used as a place for intercession - some praying for a safe crossing, others giving thanks for having arrived safely over the river.
There is little trace of the church building at the site {NGR NH 524450} but the location can be identified by the copse of trees that has been allowed to grow within the boundary as the result of agricultural activities being confined to areas outwith the bounds.
An annual fair bearing the name of St Mauritius was long held at Dunballoch on 11th November. In 1641 it was transferred to Beauly, and appears to have then been known as Feill-Mhauri.
The church of the ancient parish of Dunballoch was translated a new site at Wardlaw (Kirkhill) {NGR NH 549454} as early as 1220.1 However, the move does not appear to have been effected until 1224, at which time the laird, John Bisset, was making significant changes to the parish structures in the lands of the Aird.2 The site provided by the laird was known as Balabrach but after the church was erected it became known in the Gaelic as Cnock-Mhoire, 'St Mary's Hill'. This seems to indicacte that the new parish church was dedicated to St Mary, so leaving behind the old dedication to St Maurice.. Cnock-Mhoire certainly provided a prominent site for the new church but it also provided a perfect signalling point for messages to be sent from Lovat, across the Beauly Firth, to Redcastle {NGR NH 585496}, a royal castle whose 'constable' was often the laird of Lovat. Strategically, this would have presented the laird with a significant advantage since the alternative land-route for messengers would have involved a day's delay at least.
In earlier times, a considerable number of boats brought lime and coals to a spot where they could beach their vessels in this parish near Wester Lovat {NGR NH 540462}. They took away cargoes of timber and grain.
In post-Reformation times, Wardlaw was united with Farnua parish on 14 July 1618, after which it became known as Kirkhill.3
Lovat House: According to Batten there was a chapel of St Lawrence "on the east corner of the house."4 Lovat Castle is first mentioned in the 12th-century when it was held by the Bisset family and it is very possible that the chapel dated from the same time. It is recorded that the Castle and its chapel were repaired in the 17th-century.5 A map drawn by Coghill shows the castle just on the north side of a "gravel path" which led north-westwards to the Monks Ferry across the Beauly River.6 A ferry at this location would have been not just a convenience for travellers, it would also have provided a steady, if modest, income for the monks of Beauly Priory who, we assume, were the 'owners'.
1206-1221 An agreement was reached between Bishop Bricius of Moray and John Byset whereby John gained the church of Conway and, in return, quit-claims the church of Dulbathlach (Dunbaloch) and the nine dabhaichean within the parish, namely:
| Name in Charter | 'Modern' Name | OS Grid Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Fyngassy | Fingask | NH 554459 |
| Morevayn | Lovat (a'Mhormhoich)7 | NH 54046_ |
| Lusnecorn | Kirkhill & Achnagairn 8 | NH 555451 |
| Dalbathlach | Dunballoch | NH 523449 |
| Monychoc | Easter Moniack | NH 556440 |
| Altera Monychoc | Wester Moniack | NH 551436 |
| Ferc (3 dabhaichean) | Lentran, Holm and Craggach9 | NH 57_44_ | Reg. Ep. Mor., no.21, p.15, and no.51, p.59; with some OS Refs added by David de Moravia |
1221 King Alexander II confirms the above agreement. Given at Elgin, 15th October 1221.10
1203-24 (probably 1221). The move of the church from Dalbatelauch (Dunballoch) to land donated by John Bisset at Wardlaw in the dabhach of Fingask, was confirmed (probably in 1221) by the papal legate to Scotland - Brother Jacobus, canon of St Victor in Paris and papal penitentiary. He also confirmed the annexation of Wardlaw to the episcopal 'mensa'.11
1222 Pope Honorius III confirmed all of the above to Andrew, 'bishop-elect' of Moray. Only the parsonage was appropriated to the episcopal 'mensa', a vicarage being set up at some point between 1222 and 1274, but it was so poor that it was united with the vicarage of Convinth c.1330.12
Clergy:
1224-26 Symone, vicar of Dulbathlach signs, as a witness, the charter of John Byseth gifting the church of Kiltarlity to the lepper hospital at Rothfan. [Reg. Ep. Mor., no.71, p.77]
1226 Henry was Dean of the Cathedral of Ross and appears in records (5 and 19 July) 1224, 1226 and 1227. [OPS, ii p.573] He was present and signed a confirmatory charter of John Bisset's gift to the hospital at Rothven, 19 June 1226, where he is styled dean of Ross and vicar of Dunbathlach. [Reg. Ep. Mor. no.72, p.78] It would appear that Henry had succeeded Symone as vicar, holding the deanery and the vicarage together in plurality.
1430 Dispensatio. "Lately, the parish church of Wardelau, Moray diocese, by reason of wars then raging in these parts was reduced to such poverty that the rector could not suitably be sustained from the fruits, therefore the then bishop of Moray by ordinary authority incorporated and united in perpetuity the parish church of Coulba [Conveth] (£3 sterling), said diocese, to the church of Wardelau (£5 sterling). But William de Ard, vicar of the above churches, doubts the validity of the union and fears that he cannot retain them together without dispensation of the Apostolic See. It is supplicated that Pope would dispense him to hold the said two churches, united as above, together for life with clause of exchange, notwithstanding defect of birth as son of an unmarried man and an unmarried woman, anent which he was formerly dispensed to be promoted to all orders and to hold one benefice with cure." Fiat ut petitur. O. Rome, S. Apostoli, 4 Kal. Feb., anno 13. (29 January 1430) [CSSR, iii, p.74]
1431 William de Arde "William de Arde, vicar of Warlaw [Wardlaw], Moray diocese, in the name of Alexander Fraser, for annates of the priory of Beauly (Belliloci), ord. Vallis-Caulium, Ross diocese, which is conventual (£60 sterling), void by the death of Gilbert, last possessor, outwith Curia. Collated at Rome, St Peters, 5 Id. April [9 April], anno 1." [Apostolic Camer and Scottish Benefices 1418-88, Libri Annatarum, p.104]
1431 William de Arde At Rome, William acts on behalf of Alexander Fraser, Prior of Beauly, on 14 May. William is styled "vicar of Wardlado, Moray diocese." [Apostolic Camera and Scottish Benefices 1418-1488, Libri Quittanciarum, p.229]
1480 Finlay 7 Sept - Instrument of collation from William, bishop of Moray, addressed to Finlay, vicar of Wardlaw, collating Alexander Fauy, presbyter of Moray diocese, to the perpetual vicarage of Conveth, vacant by death of the late (Sir) Donald Galle. Lacking his own seal he has to use that of John Finlay, prior.Beauly. [Batten, Charters of Beauly Priory, p.101]
1532 Andrew Cuthbert Andrew, vicar of Wardlaw, was present at the signing of a precept by Hugh Fraser, Lord Lovat. [Batten, Charters of Beauly Priory, p.209]
1. HES Canmore Database https://canmore.org.uk/site/12733/st-maurices-chapel-dunballoch (accessed 31/7/19). However, according to Shaw, it was translated to Kirkhill (Wardlaw) c.1210. He says that he had had sight of a papal Bull of that date sanctioning the translation. [Shaw, L. (1775) History of the Province of Moray. Edinburgh: William Auld. p.361] This Bull used to be in the hands of Mr Fraser of Dunbalach.
2. It was at this time that the parish of Kiltarlity was created.
3. Fasti, p.471
4. Batten, E.C. (1877) The Charters of the Priory of Beauly. London: Houlston and Sons. for the Grampian Club. p.211, n.
5. Fraser, J. (1905) Chronicles of the Frasers. Edinburgh.
6. Coghill, D E. (1989) Inverness Field Club Archaeology Group: Some unrecorded sites in the Aird noted between Oct 1987 & May 1989, edited by S E Jacks, leader D E Coghill. Inverness. Page(s): no. 9 RCAHMS Shelf Number: E.2.1.JAC
7. Taylor, S. (2002) Place-name Survey of the Parishes of Kilmorack, Kiltarlity & Convinth, and Kirkhill, Inverness-shire. University of St Andrews. p.128. https://arts.st-andrews.ac.uk/beauly/pdfs/SURVY1.pdf (accessed 1/8/19)
8. ibid. p.122
9. ibid. p.91
10. Reg. Ep. Mor., no.52, p.60
11. Reg. Ep. Mor., no.22, p.16. Given at Kelso (Abbey?) 15 Kal May (17 April) 1203-24.
12. Reg. Ep. Mor., no.56, p.63. Given at the Lateran, 4 Ides May (12 May) 1222.
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