The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 3/3

BLAIR CHURCH,[228] Blair-Atholl, Perthshire.

Reading edition

BLAIR CHURCH,[228] Blair-Atholl, Perthshire.

The walls of this old church (Fig. 1515) still stand within the grounds of Blair Castle, the seat of the Duke of Atholl, and about five minutes’ walk from the Castle. The building is roofless and the walls are almost complete, but they have been much slapped and altered to make the place suitable for Presbyterian worship.

The masonry is rubble work, built with stones gathered off the hills. The doors and windows have hewn jambs and lintels of freestone, all square-headed and splayed. A gravestone, dated 1579, has been built in the inside of the north wall. The chief interest of the ruin arises from its containing the vault in which Claverhouse is buried. A tablet on the inner face of the south wall of the church, west of the aisle which contains the vault, bears the following inscription:—

Illustration from The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century; vol. 3/3

Fig. 1515.—Blair Church. Plan.

Within this vault beneath Are interred the remains of John Graham of Claverhouse Viscount Dundee Who fell at the Battle of Killiecrankie 27 July 1689, aged 46 This memorial is placed here by John, 7th Duke of Atholl, K.T. 1889

Notes in this chapter

Note 1 · We have to thank Mr. T. S. Robertson, architect, Dundee, for the Plan and description of this church.