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29:
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Following the
Reformation, the Abbey remained in use as a parish church, but disaster struck in 1742 when the flagstone roof collapsed during a service, killing nearly fifty members of the congregation. Though a new church was built adjacent to the ruined church, it too had fallen into a ruinous
200:
A small monumental chapel was erected, probably in the sixteenth century, against the southeast angle of the church, blocking two of the windows. Another chapel was built against the north wall of the church. The cloister and domestic buildings no longer survive.
197:, or recess; on the south side, a canopied monument to Abbot Finlay, which displays the abbot's shield and the inscription: “Hic jacet Finlaius McFaed abbas de Fern qui obit anno MCCCCLXXXV” (Here lies Finlay McFaed, abbot of Fearn, who died in the year 1485).
388:
The current building substantially dates from the restoration of 1772, but still incorporates parts of the medieval structure. It was restored by Ian G. Lindsay & Partners in 1971. Further restoration was carried out in 2002–2003 under the auspices of
260:, the rebuilding of the Abbey was begun during Abbot Mark's time in 1338, and completed during the tenure of Abbot Donald Pupill in 1372. During the forty-four year tenure of Abbot Finlay McFaed (1442-1485), numerous improvements were made. A
348:
In 1587, during the commendatorship of Walter Ross of
Morangy, son of Abbot Thomas Ross, the lands were resumed by the Crown. The Abbey was granted to Patrick Gordon of Letterfourie in 1591. Fearn was erected into the
193:, which was probably erected by Abbot Finlay McFead (d. 1485). It is 32 feet long by 23 feet wide and is connected to the main building by an archway 14 feet wide. On the west side is a doorway; on the east side, an
150:, the historic building ceased to be used for church services in 2023, with remaining local church services and meetings to be held in the adjacent modern church hall. In 2024 the parish (previously united with
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241:. The move was deemed necessary because of the turbulence created by the northern clans, but the richer soil for agriculture was also a boon. The Abbey was within the domains of the
320:, be appointed abbot of Fearn, primarily because Cairncross, as a man of wealth, was deemed capable of restoring the buildings, which had fallen into disrepair. Nicholas Ross,
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state by the early 1770s. As a result, part of the original ruined Abbey was rebuilt in 1772, and the Abbey again became the parish church as part of the established
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David
Lindsay, and, in 1616, to Bishop Patrick Lindsay, as confirmed by Act of Parliament on 28 June 1617. The grants were confirmed to Bishop John Maxwell by
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393:. The congregation of Fearn Abbey take part in outreach work in the local area and have active links to the Church of Scotland's World Mission projects in
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332:, held the abbacy after the death of Cairncross in 1545. He is thought to have held the position as a secular charge since he sat in
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Over the centuries, the rope of the church bell has worn a deep crevice into the stones of the church wall beneath the bell tower.
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The church is extremely simple in design. It is oblong in shape, 96 feet long and 26 feet wide internally. The windows are tall
182:
around the wall. The eastern end was partitioned off and set aside as the burial vault of the family of Ross of
Balnagown. The
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237:, in the 1220s but was moved ten miles to the southeast in 1238 during the time of the second abbot, Malcolm of
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In addition to Abbot Finlay McFaed, well-known persons buried in Fearn Abbey include the following:
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134: – known as "The Lamp of the North" – has its origins in one of Scotland's oldest pre-
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there are four lancets equal in height, and similar openings appear in pairs between all the
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or aisles attached to the church were erected at later dates against the original walls.
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The most important addition to the building was the south wing, a chapel dedicated to
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435:, who was forced by oppression from neighboring barons to reside for many years in
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158:), was united with the former parishes of Tarbat (Portmahomack) and Tain to form
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535:"Church news: Tain, Portmahomack and Fearn and Nigg to hold service of union"
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Thomas Ross of
Culnahal, Provost of the Collegiate Church of Tain and
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of
Withorn, rather than being elected by the canons. On the orders of
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Fearchar, 1st Earl of Ross, the founder of the Abbey, d. 1251
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The original Fearn Abbey was established during the reign of
811:
Ecclesiastical
Chronicle of Scotland, Vol. 3: Monasticon
978:
Category A listed buildings in
Highland (council area)
229:, a monastery of white canons, who provided the first
943:
Christian monasteries established in the 13th century
560:"Fearn Abbey & Nigg Church of Scotland, SC009309"
953:
Monasteries dissolved under the
Scottish Reformation
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Buildings and structures in
Highland (council area)
445:, honoured for his military prowess in the time of
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264:was added and the Abbey was enriched by an organ,
245:, who maintained and protected it over the years.
509:"Medieval abbey could be taken over by community"
870:, by Cornelius James Kirkfleet, O. Praem., 1943.
252:of Whithorn, was presented to the abbacy by the
424:Sir Mark Ross, Abbot of Fearn Abbey, d. c 1350
353:of Geanies in favor of Sir Patrick Murray by
8:
585:"Tarbat Parish Church Of Scotland, SC021420"
21:
678:"Fearn Abbey: Statistical Account, 1791-99"
605:The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland
304:at the age of twenty-six in 1528. In 1539,
296:, a boy at the time. Hamilton, who adopted
127:Tomb of abbot Fionnlagh II (Finlay McFaed).
832:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
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626:: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
20:
938:Premonstratensian monasteries in Scotland
983:Former Christian monasteries in Scotland
357:in 1598. In 1609, it was annexed to the
160:Easter Ross Peninsula Church of Scotland
973:Church of Scotland churches in Scotland
602:MacGibbon, David; Ross, Thomas (1896).
500:
485:, for a list of abbots and commendators
336:in 1560 and voted for the abolition of
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233:. The Abbey was originally settled by
7:
755:The Charters of the Priory of Beauly
288:In the early sixteenth century, the
963:Churches in Highland (council area)
489:List of Church of Scotland parishes
16:Monastery in Highland, Scotland, UK
14:
968:History of the Scottish Highlands
758:. London: Grampian club. p.
443:General Charles Ross of Balnagown
752:Chisholm-Batten, Edmund (1877).
276:, and other embellishments from
142:and located to the southeast of
27:
868:The White Canons of St. Norbert
855:Churches to Visit in Scotland,
933:Listed monasteries in Scotland
138:church buildings. Part of the
1:
608:. Edinburgh. p. 2:543–44
591:. Scottish Charity Regulator.
300:principles, was burned as a
114:Important associated figures
948:Listed churches in Scotland
851:Church of Scotland Yearbook
739:Ecclesiastical Architecture
724:Ecclesiastical Architecture
709:Ecclesiastical Architecture
658:Ecclesiastical Architecture
643:Ecclesiastical Architecture
999:
682:Fearn Peninsula Graveyards
589:Scottish Charity Regulator
564:Scottish Charity Regulator
235:Fearchar, 1st Earl of Ross
808:Gordon, J. F. S. (1875).
258:William III, Earl of Ross
26:
909:57.7700806°N 3.9561361°W
814:. Dumfries. p. 350
384:20th and 21st Centuries
914:57.7700806; -3.9561361
771:john fearn abbot 1486.
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108:Fearchar, Earl of Ross
788:Undiscovered Scotland
126:
36:Monastery information
344:Post-Reformation Era
905: /
660:. p. 2:546–47.
91:Controlled churches
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886:Presbytery of Ross
881:Fearn Abbey Church
539:The Northern Times
458:John Lockhart-Ross
378:Church of Scotland
223:Premonstratensians
140:Church of Scotland
129:
22:Abbey of New Fearn
391:Historic Scotland
326:collegiate church
314:Robert Cairncross
248:In 1321, Mark, a
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94:Kilchrist, Tarbat
47:Premonstratensian
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308:recommended to
292:was assumed by
290:commendatorship
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284:Reformation Era
227:Whithorn Priory
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213:Medieval Period
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85:Diocese of Ross
73:Whithorn Priory
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741:. p. 543.
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900:3°57′22.09″W
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845:Bibliography
816:. Retrieved
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690:. Retrieved
686:the original
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542:. Retrieved
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517:. Retrieved
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361:of Ross for
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306:King James V
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219:Alexander II
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131:
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69:Mother house
18:
912: /
737:MacGibbon.
722:MacGibbon.
707:MacGibbon.
656:MacGibbon.
641:MacGibbon.
569:10 February
544:10 February
519:10 February
447:William III
338:Catholicism
298:Reformation
266:tabernacles
191:St. Michael
136:Reformation
132:Fearn Abbey
53:Established
927:Categories
495:References
470:Royal Navy
401:, and the
375:Protestant
334:Parliament
180:buttresses
148:Ross-shire
104:Founder(s)
828:cite book
622:cite book
472:, d. 1790
453:, d. 1732
439:, d. 1591
395:Ekwendeni
369:in 1633.
367:Charles I
274:vestments
477:See also
355:James VI
278:Flanders
270:chalices
262:cloister
818:29 June
793:29 June
765:29 June
692:29 June
612:29 June
468:of the
466:Admiral
462:Baronet
451:Mary II
413:Burials
324:of the
322:provost
302:heretic
208:History
184:chapels
172:lancets
80:Diocese
859:
460:, 6th
437:Forres
433:Alness
407:Israel
399:Malawi
363:Bishop
351:barony
166:Design
156:Tarbat
99:People
515:. BBC
429:Vicar
312:that
254:prior
250:canon
231:abbot
225:from
195:ambry
176:gable
42:Order
857:ISBN
853:and
834:link
820:2017
795:2017
767:2017
694:2017
628:link
614:2017
571:2024
546:2024
521:2024
456:Sir
449:and
330:Tain
239:Nigg
152:Nigg
144:Tain
64:1609
56:1238
760:315
513:BBC
431:of
405:in
359:see
328:of
221:by
929::
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620:{{
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
