Site Report

WoSAS Pin 63782
NN 6218 0765

Stirling SMR Locality Number 327.01

Chapel (site) NN 62180 07650
The chapel at Leny is named and depicted on Robert Gordon's manuscript map of the basin of the River Forth down to the widening of the estuary near Alloa' (1636-52). It is also mentioned in the Pont texts (1583-1596) 131v-132r as the 'Kirk of Leny'. There was formerly a chapel of St. Norie at Little Leny, situated on a hill similar to Tom ma Chisaig (NN60NW 11). The site was still used as a cemetry by the Buchanan family at the end of the 18th century.
OSA 1793; J M MacKinlay 1914.

This chapel was associated with the Norie family (a branch of the Buchanan family), and was not dedicated to a St. Norie (information from Rev M A MacCorquodale, St Kessog's Manse, Callander). Immediately to the east of the walled burial enclosure shown on OS 6" map (at NN 6213 0765) and forming part of the graveyard is a prominent, flat-topped knoll. In the SE angle of its top, at NN 6217 0765 are the very slight remains of a building measuring approx. 12.0m E/W by 6.0m N/S, over walls which may have been 1.5m thick. The grass-covered footings of the NW angle and a similar portion of the south wall are evident but, elsewhere, only the faint outline of the building is discernible; the interior is occupied by a private burial site enclosed by an iron railing. Local enquiries revealed that the area is known as Little Leny; There is a finial, bearing the inscription "The Buchanan Chapel - 1214" on the wall of the burial vault shown on the OS map, undoubtedly from an earlier structure. The grave yard is still used occasionally.
Surveyed at 1:2500.
Visited by OS (R D) 17 October 1968.

NN 621 076 The slight remains of a building standing within a burial-ground are probably those of a chapel whose former existence was noted in the Statistical Account (OSA 1793). The building measures 12m from E to W by 6m transversely over walls 1.5m thick. OSA 1793; J M MacKinlay 1914 Buchanan of Leny burial enclosure with adjacent burial ground situated on a hillock at the confluence of the Eas Gobhain and Garbe Usige. Set to the S of Callander close by to the former Callander & Oban Railway Line, now a cycling path, 2004. The enclosure would appear to be 18th century as the earliest memorial plaques date from 1724. The burial ground seems to date from the 19th century as indicated by the gravestones. The site is bounded by mature oak trees and can prove to be inacccessbile at times as the surrounding land is liable to flood. Of good local interest and thus recognised at Category C(S). Notes The burial ground is the resting place of the ancient family of the Buchanans of Leny. The Statistical Account of 1794 states that Alexander II in 1237 gave the charter of Leney to the Buchanan family (for further information see Leny House list description). The Buchanan connection with Leny House and Leny Estate seems to have ended in the early/earlier 20th century when the estate was sold. The burial ground, however, appears to still be in use there are inscriptions on gravestones dating from the 21st century. There is a further resting place for the Buchanan family at Leny House Walled Garden. Leny is named in a late 16th century text as the Kirk of Leny. It has been suggested that there was formerly a chapel of St. Norie here this but may be a confusion as the Norie family is a branch of the Buchanans. The rectangular burial enclosure is entered through a round arched entrance with a cast-iron gate situated to the south. A finial above the entrance reads 'The Buchanan Chapel 1214' but the enclosure would appear to be 18th century as the earliest memorial plaques date from 1724. The Buchanan family links with Leny Estate extend as far back as 1237. The surrounding burial ground includes a number of 19th and 20th century gravestones, with some contained within 3 railed enclosures. The graveyard is still used occasionally. As well as the trees which bound the site there is cast-iron fence running around the periphery. Immediately to the east of the walled burial enclosure (at NN 6213 0765) and forming part of the graveyard is a prominent, flat-topped knoll. In the SE angle of its top, at NN 6217 0765 are the very slight remains of a building measuring approx. 12.0m east/west by 6.0m north/south, over walls which may have been 1.5m thick. The grass-covered footings of the NW angle and a similar portion of the south wall are evident but, elsewhere, only the faint outline of the building is discernible. This may be the remains of the chapel. The rectangular-plan burial enclosure is situated to the NW of the site with the burial ground surrounding it to the W, S and E. As well as the trees which bounder the site there is cast-iron fence running around the periphery. The enclosure is entered through a round arched entrance with a cast-iron gate situated to the S. A finial above the entrance reads 'The Buchanan Chapel 1214'. It is reputed that a chapel once stood here but was re-sited due to a shift in the course of the river. It is possible that early fabric from the chapel is incorporated in the walls to the enclosure. There are 20 gravemarkers or memorial stones to the enclosure, with many of the inscriptions only being partly legible. Of these are a series of 4 sandstone wall mounted plaques to the W, N and E dating from 1724. That to the N face reads 'The bell tolleth to the famelie of Bochastel at 19 boots of lenth upon both the syd vals û WB, IB, 1724. Also to the N wall is a granite plaque erected in 1995 dedicated to Dugald Buchanan. The inscription reads 'Gaelic poet, teacher, evangelist û This monument marks his resting place and commemorates his gifts of inspired language and sacred song by which the literature of his native highlands has been enriched'. To the surrounding burial ground are a number of 19th and 20th century gravestones with some contained within 3 railed enclosures. Materials Random rubble with smeared pointing, triangular copes.

2008 CORPUS SUMMARY DESCRIPTION The most likely site for the parish church of Leny is a burial enclosure in a graveyard to the south-west of Callander, at the confluence of the Eas Gobhain, which flows from Loch Venachar, and the River Teith.

HISTORICAL OUTLINE The earliest surviving reference to the church of Leny dates from 1238 when, it formed part of the settlement of a long-running dispute between Walter Comyn, earl of Menteith, and Clement, bishop of Dunblane, over rights to revenues from parish churches in Menteith.(1) By the terms of the settlement, Earl Walter was permitted to found an Augustinian priory at Inchmahome and the church of Leny was appropriated to it from the date of its foundation and was still recorded as annexed to the priory in 1561/2.(2) The settlement also prohibited the bishop from instituting vicars perpetual in the church and allowed Inchmahome to have the cure served by a chaplain. In 1507, however, one Cuthbert Leny, vicar of Leny, is recorded,(3) but it is not clear if he was a vicar portionary or perpetual.

2008 CORPUS ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTION The site of Leny Parish Church is no longer known with complete certainty. The most likely location is a graveyard to the south-west of Callander, on a gravel ridge at the confluence of Eas Gobhain with the River Teith, the church site being on the spine of the ridge above the flood-plain. According to the Statistical Account, published in 1794, Callander was initially divided into two parishes. However, in the course of a flood 'more than a century ago', the church of Leny had been separated from its parish when the 'northern branch of the river' changed course, while the bridge leading to the chapel over 'the southern branch' was swept away. Following this a single new church to serve both parishes was built at Callander. The description of the relationship of the church with the branches of the rivers accords well with a site at NN 6213 0760, a site that is known locally as Little Leny. The principal focus of the graveyard there is an oriented rectangular burial enclosure with dimensions of 19.25 metres from east to west and 7.7 metres from south to north, and with walls of 65 centimetres in thickness. This enclosure is entered by a round-arched rebated doorway with narrowly chamfered arrises near the centre of the south wall. Above that doorway is a gablet, decorated with volute crockets and a thistle finial, which is inscribed 'the Buchanan Chapel 1214' in reference to the family whose members are buried within it. The style of lettering on that gablet is similar to that on three tablets built into the internal walls of the enclosure which indicate the burial layers, two of which are dated 1724, and it is likely that the gablet is of the same date. The wall-heads of the enclosure are coped with rough stones, but at the angles are worked stones, three of which are clearly the caps or a base from the nook shafts of what is most likely to have been a doorway of late twelfth- or early thirteenth-century date. That at the south-west corner is an inverted base of water-holding form. At the south-east corner is a capital of unique form, on the bell of which is a figure with outstretched arms, presumably intended to represent the crucified Christ; the head of the figure acts as the leading angle volute, while the hands appear to grasp crockets at the two other exposed angles. The abacus is of the square form to be expected at the turn of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. At the north-east corner of the wall head is a heavily weathered capital of similar overall form, but with its bell apparently having been decorated with more orthodox foliage forms. The re-use of medieval fragments on such an isolated site suggests that this was indeed the location of the medieval church, and that it must have been a church of some architectural quality. Beyond that, however, the orientation and dimensions of the burial enclosure raise the possibility that the enclosure is on the footprint of its medieval predecessor. A further factor that must be taken into account is that to the east of the enclosure, and extending for a distance of about 7 metres, is what appears to be a slightly raised platform. While the case for this must be argued with less conviction, it should be considered as a possibility that the burial enclosure occupied no more than the site of the nave of the medieval church, and that the chancel of a church that originally extended to about 26.25 metres had been abandoned.

2008 CORPUS NOTES 1. Fraser, Menteith, ii, 326. 2. Kirk (ed.), Book of Assumptions, 545, 548, 549. 3. NAS GD112/3/11. Back to the top of the page Bibliography Cowan, I.B., 1967, The parishes of medieval Scotland, (Scottish Record Society), Edinburgh, 130. Fraser, W., 1880, The Red Book of Menteith, Edinburgh, ii, 326. Kirk, J., 1995, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, (British Academy) Oxford, 545, 548, 549. New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1845, Edinburgh and London, x, 1105. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Canmore database. Statistical Account of Scotland, 1791-9, ed. J. Sinclair, Edinburgh, xi (1794), 575.
Entered WoSAS (MOH), 24/03/11