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MHG22993 - Mid-C19 Roman Catholic chapel and priest's house - Torgyle

Summary

A Mid-C19 Roman Catholic chapel and priest's house at Torgyle, Glenmoriston.

Type and Period (1)

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Full Description

A Mid-C19 former Roman Catholic chapel and priest's house at Torgyle, Glenmoriston.

The building went out of use as a chapel in 1977. The building - chapel and priest's house combined - was erected in 1841 but ceased to have a resident priest in 1850. In 1854, Fr. Donald MacKenzie took up residence in what is now the Old Convent at Fort Augustus (though Fort Augustus was in another bishop's territory) and from there he travelled to Torgoyle and Stratherrick on each second and fourth Sunday respectively. At this time the Glenmoriston congregation numbered 80. In December, 1859 a chapel and priest's house were opened in Stratherrick. Fr. MacKenzie went to live there but continued to serve Torgoyle. This arrangement lasted until the Catholic hierarchy of bishops was re-established in 1878. Fort Augustus was now with Glenmoriston in the diocese of Aberdeen, so the priest there once more took charge of Torgoyle. Since 1890 the parish priest has been a monk of the Abbey. The Torgoyle chapel house is interesting, as it shows what a humble dwelling was like in the 1840s. It is also interesting because of its ghost, the 'cailleach bheag, or 'little old woman'. The story runs that the priest's house-keeper opened the door one night to a passing tramp and was murdered, and she can still be heard, over a century later, coming down the stairs at night. <1>

A small unroofed building is depicted on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Inverness-shire 1874, sheet lxvii), but it is not shown on the current edition of the OS 1:10000 map (1971).
Information from RCAHMS (AKK) 23 May 1996.

The building is certainly shown on the OS 6" 1st and 2nd Edition maps labelled 'Roman Catholic Chapel' but it does not appear to have been unroofed [IS-L 06/04/2022].

Sources/Archives (1)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 3081 1325 (30m by 30m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH31SW
Civil Parish	URQUHART AND GLENMORISTON
Geographical Area	INVERNESS

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