Inverness in Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom — Northwestern Europe (the British Isles)

Chapel Yard Cemetery

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 26, 2018

1. Chapel Yard Cemetery Marker

Inscription.

Chapel Yard Cemetery. . Chapel Yard Cemetery Cladh Leas A’ Chaibeil. The Chapel Yard Cemetery is one of three old burial grounds in Inverness city centre. The others are at Friars Street and the Old High Church. , The Chapel Yard or St Mary's Cemetery was probably established by the Order of Black Friars. The earliest ecclesiastic reference is 1164 , 1171 when William the Lion "granted land to God and the church of St Mary's of Inverness". , In 1371 the area was not enclosed as it is today but an open green, upon which was a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Green, usually known as the Chapel of the Green. From this chapel both the adjacent street and the burial ground take their name. , The ground was formally presented to the town as a burial ground by Margaret Cuthbert, one of the Cuthberts of Castlehill in 1680. The Jacobite Army in 1745, after destroying the castle, damaged some of the tombs because their proprietors refused to support Bonnie Prince Charlie. After the Battle of Culloden in 1746 the Yard became a fold for the cattle of Lord Lovat's estate, it having been forfeited to the Crown because of his connection with the rebellion. It was not until 1784 that the burial ground was enclosed. , Despite the antiquity of the burial ground the earliest extant grave marker is dated 1604 , that of Hester Eliot a great grandniece of Mary Queen of Scots (1542 , 1587), and of the blood royal through her great grandmother Lady Jane Hepburn. , While the cemetery contains mausoleums or enclosures to notable local families such as Forbes of Culloden, Grant of Bught, Bethune and Mclntosh's and to prominent dignitaries such as Provosts, Ministers, Advocate's and Surgeons it also contains graves of ordinary townsfolk not ordinarily written of in the pages of history. It is a time capsule of the social history of the development of the Royal Burgh of Inverness, revealing among other things a high level of infant mortality. , Grave markers abound with Highland Clan names familiar to local Invernessians: Anderson; Cameron; Campbell; McDougall; Mclntosh; McKenzie; McLeod; McRae; Robertson; Ross; Stewart; Sutherland; Tulloch. , Chapel Yard is also the location of a small number of Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones from World War 1. , Most of those interred were local artisans such as: blacksmith; carpenter; cart-wright; flesher; gardener; glover; letter-carrier; mariner; mason; merchant; plumber; shoe-maker; stonecutter; upholsterer; vintner; weaver.

Chapel Yard Cemetery
Cladh Leas A’ Chaibeil The Chapel Yard Cemetery is one of three old burial grounds in Inverness city centre. The others are at Friars Street and the Old High Church.

The Chapel Yard or St Mary's Cemetery was probably established by the Order of Black Friars. The earliest ecclesiastic reference is 1164 — 1171 when William the Lion "granted land to God and the church of St Mary's of Inverness".

In 1371 the area was not enclosed as it is today but an open green, upon which was a chapel dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary of the Green, usually known as the Chapel of the Green. From this chapel both the adjacent street and the burial ground take their name.

The ground was formally presented to the town as a burial ground by Margaret Cuthbert, one of the Cuthberts of Castlehill in 1680. The Jacobite Army in 1745, after destroying the castle, damaged some of the tombs because their proprietors refused to support Bonnie Prince Charlie. After the Battle of Culloden in 1746 the Yard became a fold for the cattle of Lord Lovat's estate, it having been forfeited to the Crown because of his connection with the rebellion. It was not until 1784 that the burial ground was enclosed.

Despite the antiquity of the burial ground the earliest extant grave marker is

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dated 1604 — that of Hester Eliot a great grandniece of Mary Queen of Scots (1542 — 1587), and of the blood royal through her great grandmother Lady Jane Hepburn.

While the cemetery contains mausoleums or enclosures to notable local families such as Forbes of Culloden, Grant of Bught, Bethune and Mclntosh's and to prominent dignitaries such as Provosts, Ministers, Advocate's and Surgeons it also contains graves of ordinary townsfolk not ordinarily written of in the pages of history. It is a time capsule of the social history of the development of the Royal Burgh of Inverness, revealing among other things a high level of infant mortality.

Grave markers abound with Highland Clan names familiar to local Invernessians: Anderson; Cameron; Campbell; McDougall; Mclntosh; McKenzie; McLeod; McRae; Robertson; Ross; Stewart; Sutherland; Tulloch.

Chapel Yard is also the location of a small number of Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones from World War 1.

Most of those interred were local artisans such as: blacksmith; carpenter; cart-wright; flesher; gardener; glover; letter-carrier; mariner; mason; merchant; plumber; shoe-maker; stonecutter; upholsterer; vintner; weaver.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Cemeteries & Burial Sites.

Location. 57°

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 26, 2018

2. Chapel Yard Cemetery Marker

28.878′ N, 4° 13.73′ W. Marker is in Inverness, Scotland, in Highland. Marker is at the intersection of Chapel Street and Friar’s Lane, on the right when traveling west on Chapel Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Inverness, Scotland IV1 1NA, United Kingdom. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 10 kilometers of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Innes (about 210 meters away, measured in a direct line); Inverness Castle Timeline (approx. half a kilometer away); Inverness Castle (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Flora MacDonald (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Upstream, downsteam (approx. 0.6 kilometers away); Knockbain Great Wars Memorial (approx. 6.9 kilometers away); Culloden Battlefield (approx. 7.7 kilometers away); Balnuaran of Clava (approx. 9.4 kilometers away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Inverness.

Gravestones in Chapel Yard Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 26, 2018

3. Gravestones in Chapel Yard Cemetery

Photographed By Michael Herrick, August 26, 2018

4. Gravestones in Chapel Yard Cemetery

Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 11, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut. This page has been viewed 482 times since then and 86 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on December 11, 2018, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.