Low walls and an unexpectedly tall roof give the Udny family vault a compact but emphatic presence within Newburgh’s old burial ground.
Quick facts
- Date
- Early to mid 18th century
- Architect / designer
- Designer and mason unrecorded
- Type
- Family burial vault
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB9175)
- OS grid reference
- NK 00293 25653
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The small rectangular building has straight skews, skewputts and a swept roof above a raised entrance. A tall plain rear gablet, harled ridge and small railed enclosure complete the composition.
Its story
The Udny family built the vault in the first half of the eighteenth century within the old churchyard. Surviving gravestones of similar date retain a wider commemorative setting around the structure.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a distinctive early family mausoleum whose form and churchyard relationship illuminate social status, burial practice and memory before modern cemeteries.
What to notice
- The tall roof above unusually low walls.
- Straight skews and projecting skewputts.
- The small railed area at the entrance.
Reading the surroundings
Treat the churchyard as a place of burial. Use established paths, avoid leaning on memorials or railings, and do not enter the vault or disturb vegetation and stones.
Timeline
- Early–mid 18th century The Udny family created a dedicated vault in Newburgh’s old churchyard.
- 18th century Nearby memorial stones continued the burial ground’s commemorative use.
- 1971 Listing recognised the vault’s architectural and historic interest.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
A precise building date, architect and current condition inside the locked structure are not known.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Udny Family Vault, LB9175 — Designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB9175 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NK 00293 25653 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; the public text separately states access and any current-use uncertainty. · 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.
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