A small burial ground joins the fragment of a medieval church to a richly carved 1715 mausoleum, preserving the older meaning of the name Macallan.
Quick facts
- Date
- Church site medieval; mausoleum dated 1715
- Architect / designer
- Mausoleum possibly associated with mason John Faid of Elgin
- Type
- Walled burial ground, church remains and laird’s mausoleum
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB8501)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 27893 44269
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Rubble walls enclose eighteenth- and nineteenth-century gravestones and part of a church gable. The square mausoleum has a polished west front, high windows and a pyramidal slate roof; inside, a carved mural monument frames skull, bones and a reclining skeleton.
Its story
Records mention an Elchies church in the fourteenth century, and the parish was later united with Knockando. Patrick Grant built the mausoleum after his father John died in 1715. Nineteenth-century mapping called the site the Church of Macallan.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a layered ecclesiastical and estate site whose medieval fabric, memorial carving and place-name history deepen understanding of the surrounding whisky estate.
What to notice
- A surviving fragment of the former church gable.
- The mausoleum’s pyramidal roof and formal west front.
- Carved mortality symbols recorded inside the locked structure.
Reading the surroundings
Do not assume access through the Macallan estate or into the mausoleum. Respect graves, follow authorised visitor routes and never touch, rub or climb memorial fabric.
Timeline
- 14th century Written evidence records funds associated with a church at Elchies.
- Mid 16th century The parish was united with neighbouring Knockando.
- 1715 Patrick Grant created a mausoleum in memory of his father.
- 1870 mapping Ordnance Surveyors labelled the enclosure the Church of Macallan.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The age of the earliest church fabric and authorship of the carved mural monument are not certain.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Macallan Old Burial Ground and Elchies Mausoleum, LB8501 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB8501 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- The Macallan: about the estate — Present estate context and authorised visitor planning.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 27893 44269 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
Suggest a marker correction
Suggest a more accurate position
The teal marker is the current published position. The orange marker starts slightly to its right so both remain visible; this is only a visual starting position. Tap the correct place on the map or drag the orange marker. Sending this form creates a private review entry only; it does not move the published marker.
Check this area in Google Maps Choose the Satellite layer there if useful.
Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors. You can also enter checked coordinates below.