Duffus, Old Parish Church

Heritage listing

Date Added 31/03/1928 Last Date Amended 03/03/1999 Type Crosses and carved stones: cross (free-standing), Ecclesiastical: burial ground, cemetery, graveyard; church Local Authority Moray Parish Duffus NGR NJ 17514 68670 Coordinates 317514, 868670 — The monument comprises a church, burial ground and watch house of post-Reformation date, and a cross of late medieval date. It is in the care of the Secretary of State for Scotland and is being re-scheduled to clarify the extent of the protected area. The monument lies at around 50m OD. It comprises the remains of St Peter's Church, Duffus. The church, which is roofless, is set within a burial ground and has been disused since 1866. It is a rectangular structure, built in the 18th century but incorporating portions of much older masonry, including the base of a tower at the W end and on the S a rib-vaulted porch, dating from 1524 and displaying on its keystone the arms and initials of Alexander Sutherland, the rector who built it. There are external stairs at the N side and E end of the church, which gave access to timber lofts. Lying to the E of the church, within the burial ground, is a small gabled watch house bearing the date 1830. To the S of the church stands a cross measuring about 4.5m high. The shaft is about 0.3m square, standing on the stepped base measuring about 1.5m square. The area proposed for scheduling comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is defined on the E, S and W by the outside face of the stone boundary wall, on the north by the road verge and on the NE by a fence. The area measures overall 100m N-S by 68m E-W, as marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.