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Chapleton |
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Chapleton |
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Chapel within the Parish of: Inveraven.
OS Ref: NJ 178303 RCAHMS No: NJ13SE 1
The chapel of St Machaldus (or St Machalus) at Chapleton would appear to be of ancient foundation. There is evidence close by of early settlement - two burial cairns (which Shaw talks of as "Druidical remains") - and the dedication, unique in the north east, is to one of St Patrick's disciples who also happens to be the patron saint of the Isle of Man. This is the true "Chapel of Kilmaichlie" mentioned in early charters. The Chapel Well is still known by the local farmer and still flows strongly.
The site was obviously in ruins at the time of the Old Statistical Account (1794) although traces of the graves were said to be still evident.
Recently, the area has been fenced in by the local farmer at the instance of the authorities which, although it has the advantage of protecting the site, means that it has become considerably overgrown an consequently of much less interest to the visitor. Two trees have also been felled to protect what remains of the fabric from root damage.
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| View of the Chapel site from the nearby burial-cairn. | Although much overgrown, the outline of the Chapel is still just discernable. |
The barony of "Kilmylie" was, originally, one of those temporal baronies held by the Bishop of Moray. Later it was in the possession of the Stewarts and they retained it when they sold Drumin across the waters of the Avon. {The ancient castle of Drumin in the 14th Century was the main seat of the Barony of Inveravon, stronghold of the Wolf of Badenoch, who gave it to his bastard son Sir Andrew Stewart, whose heir Sir William sold it to the Gordons.} The Laird of Grant bought Kilmaichlie in the 18th Century and it also formed part of the estates of Ballindalloch for a time.
Nearby, there is a ford across the River Avon which may be of some antiquity and could be associated with the choice of site for the Chapel.
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