Kirkhill (Scottish Gaelic: Cnoc Mhoire, meaning "Big Hill") is a small village and civil parish in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is 10 miles (16 km) west of Inverness and 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Beauly, close to the south opening of the Beauly Firth.[2]

Kirkhill
The B9164, the main street running through Kirkhill
Kirkhill is located in Inverness area
Kirkhill
Kirkhill
Location within the Inverness area
Population750 (mid-2020 est.)[1]
OS grid referenceNH556453
Council area
Lieutenancy area
  • Inverness
CountryScotland
Sovereign stateUnited Kingdom
Post townInverness
Postcode districtIV5 7
Dialling code01463
PoliceScotland
FireScottish
AmbulanceScottish
UK Parliament
Scottish Parliament
List of places
UK
Scotland
57°28′32″N 4°24′34″W / 57.47544°N 4.40953°W / 57.47544; -4.40953

The village of Kirkhill encompasses the historic parish of Wardlaw to its north, the two areas merging in 1618.[3]

Kirkhill also has a village hall and primary school, Kirkhill Primary, with a catchment area including Inchmore, Lentran, Drumchardine, Cabrich, Bunchrew, Clunes and Newtonhill.[4]

Wardlaw Mausoleum edit

 
The Wardlaw Mausoleum, historic resting place of Clan Fraser of Lovat

Kirkhill is home to the Wardlaw Mausoleum, built in 1634 as the resting ground for the Frasers of Lovat and used by the family until the early 19th century. In the 1990s, the Wardlaw Mausoleum Trust was formed to repair the building, then in heavy disrepair.[5]

In 1722, the 11th Lord Lovat raised the roof of the mausoleum and constructed a tower overhead. After his execution for the part he played in the Jacobite rebellion, legend had it the Lord Lovat's body was moved in secret, from the Church of St Peter ad Vincula in London to the family mausoleum. However, analysis of his supposed skeleton by the University of Dundee in 2018, declared the bones were of a young woman.[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "Mid-2020 Population Estimates for Settlements and Localities in Scotland". National Records of Scotland. 31 March 2022. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
  2. ^ Gittings, Bruce; Munro, David. "Kirkhill". The Gazetteer for Scotland. School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh and The Royal Scottish Geographical Society. Retrieved 29 October 2018.
  3. ^ "MHG31356 - Cemetery, St. Mary's Church, Wardlaw - Highland Historic Environment Record". her.highland.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. ^ "Kirkhill Primary school". Kirkhill Primary school. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  5. ^ "Home". Wardlaw Mausoleum. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  6. ^ "Headless body is not C18th Scottish clan chief, say experts". The Guardian. Press Association. 19 January 2018. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 28 July 2020.