Old Kilmore Burial Ground, Drumnadrochit

Old Kilmore Burial Ground in Drumnadrochit, in the Highland council area of Scotland, is a historic graveyard with the ruin of a former parish church at its heart. It is still an active burial place, and it is also a protected heritage site.

What is Old Kilmore Burial Ground?

The site combines a working graveyard with the remains of an old church. The ruin is what remains of the former parish church of the area. Today the walls are largely covered in ivy, which gives the place a quiet, overgrown character. One architectural detail still stands out: a lancet window, a narrow pointed-arch opening, survives in the west wall.

How old is the site?

A church on this spot is first recorded in 1215, which makes it one of the longest-documented places of worship in the area. The building whose ruin you see today dates from 1630. It served its congregation for more than two centuries. In 1836 the parishioners left, because a new parish church had been built nearby, and the old building was abandoned and slowly fell into ruin.

Is it a listed site?

Yes. The site is protected as a Category C listed building. It was listed on 5 October 1971 under the name Drumnadrochit, Old Kilmore Burial Ground and Watch-House. The mention of a watch-house is a reminder of a period when graveyards needed guarding, and it shows that the listing covers more than the church ruin alone.

What can you see in the graveyard?

Among the gravestones are older stones that were moved here from the burial ground at Abriachan. The graveyard is therefore a gathering point for memorials from more than one local community. The inscriptions have been recorded in a monumental inscription survey by Alastair and Margaret Beattie, which covers inscriptions up to 1855. Anyone researching family history will find this a useful starting point, although such surveys can contain omissions and errors, so it is worth checking the stones themselves.

Who is this place for?

• Visitors interested in the history of the Highlands and in medieval and post-medieval church sites.
• Genealogists tracing local families through gravestone inscriptions.
• Photographers drawn to ivy-covered ruins and lancet windows.
• Walkers who want a short, reflective stop in Drumnadrochit.

Tips for visiting

Remember that this is a working cemetery. Burials still take place here, so keep your voice low, stay on the paths where possible and do not disturb the graves. Avoid climbing on the ruined walls, as the masonry is old and covered in vegetation. Take a camera for the west wall and its lancet window, and allow some time to read the older stones.

Frequently asked questions

When was the church first mentioned? A church on the site is first recorded in 1215.

When was the present building constructed? The ruin dates from 1630.

Why was the church abandoned? The congregation left in 1836, when a new parish church was built nearby.

Is the graveyard still in use? Yes, burials still take place there.

Is the site protected? Yes, it is a Category C listed building, listed in 1971.

Where is it? In Drumnadrochit, in the Highland area of Scotland, at roughly 57.33 N, 4.47 W.