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Kilmorack

Associated Chapels: Knockfin {NGR NH 295263}; Fasnakyle {NGR NH 318295}; Erchless Castle {NGR NH 409409}; Struy {NGR NH 402402}; Clachan Comar {NGR NH 335307}.

Parish Church:   OS Ref: NGR NH 493443         H.E.S. No: NH44SE 12       Dedication: St Moroc

The medieval church of Kilmorack stood in the grave-yard opposite the 'new' church. Both this church and the parish at large were under the invocation of St Moroc. He was, supposedly, a Culdee abbot of Dunkeld who became one of the first bishops associated with the Early Church community at Dunblane. He died in the 9th-century and his festival is held on 8 November.

This church does not appear at the time of the reconstitution of the chapter of Ross as confirmed by Pope Alexander IV in 1255/6, although it appears shortly after this to have become annexed to the prebend of the Chancellor of Ross, who had received no specific church in that reconstitution. This, in turn, would appear to have been followed by an exchange between the chancellor and the precentor, who, having been assigned Kinettes and Suddy in 1255/6, is later found to possess the parsonage of this church, whilst the other two are held by the chancellor of Ross. The parsonage revenues, thereafter, remained with the precentor to the time of the Reformation, the cure of Kilmorack itself being served by a vicar perpetual.

The precentor of Ross had, undoubtedly, the rectorial tithes/teinds of Kilmorack as part of his prebend; but it seems doubtful whether the bishops ever granted to the precentor's prebend the whole endowment of the church of Kilmorack - the much envied fishings seem not to have been included!

The present parish church, on the bank of the river Beauly close to the falls known as the Ess, was built in 1786, and repaired in 1835.

The famous Priory of Beauly lay within this parish. It was of the Valliscaulian Order and a sister house, therefore, of Pluscarden and Ardchattan Priories.