Kilkerran Churchyard

Kilkerran Churchyard

This substantial cemetery comprises a series of enclosed areas formed by random rubble walls, with the old churchyard to the north-east, the later cemetery to the south and east, and an early 20th century addition on the hillside to the south-west. The site contains an outstanding range of gravestones. Gateways between the yards are marked by square stugged ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps. A watercourse runs to the south with rubble retaining walls and a round-arched bridge over it.

The entrance features later 19th century gothic ashlar gatepiers comprising bases to square shafts, capped with gables to each face bearing incised trefoils and surmounted by crossed rigs with fleur-de-lys profile. Two-leaf wrought-iron principal gates are flanked by pedestrian gates and square stugged sandstone piers with pyramidal caps.

Adjacent to the entrance gates are three ancient carved stones, which are Scheduled Monuments. These include an Early Christian unshaped stone re-erected on a concrete base, tapered to the base with a wheel-cross carved on the front and an incised outline cross on the back. Adjacent are the shafts of MacEachern's and Cristin's medieval crosses. The latter is in two fragments cemented together and erected on a modern base, with foliaceous and plaitwork carving; on one side are depicted a man, a woman and a warrior on horseback, with a dog on the other side. Cristin's cross depicts figures, a galley, beasts and foliaceous carving.

The northern graveyard extends westward from the entrance gate, with its north wall lined with headstones and enclosures. These include a sandstone ashlar classical memorial of circa 1890 to the MacMurchy family, tripartite in form with pilasters dividing the bays and a centre bay slightly advanced with a curvilinear pediment above. An ornate, gabled and crocketted cast-iron gothic memorial with a sandstone slab dated 1857 commemorates Rev John Mactaggart in memory of Alison Murray. An Egypto-classical sandstone ashlar memorial of 1857 to William Barton comprises three tapered headstones bearing marble slabs on a common base, each pedimented with anthemion cresting. A classical grey granite memorial of 1872 to John McNaughton of Killellan features an ashlar coped enclosure surmounted by cast-iron railings with anthemion finials. A classical droved ashlar memorial of 1909 to Alexander Fleming comprises a rectangular base with Tuscan columns flanking a pink granite slab and supporting a semicircular open pediment with strapwork in the tympanum and an urn at the apex. Nearby stands a large grey granite obelisk of 1879 to Jean Macalister Hall, with incised Grecian decoration and a grey granite enclosure.

The old churchyard lies to the west, featuring a central path flanked by enclosures, with random rubble walls with ashlar copes and a variety of decorative cast-iron railings, some bearing inscriptions on marble plaques. The Lamb family enclosure has a dwarf wall and an iron grated roof. Further enclosures stretch along the crest of the hill to the east. The MacEacharn monument enclosure comprises a random rubble coped enclosure with a high wall to the rear featuring a sandstone panel dated 1715 at the centre, flanked by fluted pilasters and with a winged cherubs head superimposed on the frieze. The Stewart family enclosure, dated 1878, has a deep ashlar cope to its dwarf wall surmounted by a Gothick cast-iron railing, with a memorial at the rear comprising three round-arched marble panels with inscriptions, a frieze and cornice above surmounted by a curvilinear pediment with floriate carving and flanking urns, the left urn missing. The MacFarlane family enclosure comprises a random rubble dwarf wall with an ashlar cope and wrought-iron railing, with a classical pedimented memorial at the rear having architraved marble panels. To the west is a 19th century Celtic cross to Campbell of Kildalloig with foliate and animal carvings, and an ashlar coped enclosure.

To the north stands Strichen's Tomb, also known as the Mystery Tomb. This comprises an ashlar block construction with a corniced square base, a barrel-vaulted interior accessed by a round-arched opening with a keystone, and an elongated pyramid over the base with bolection-moulded frames to blank panels on each face.

A variety of gravestones, recumbent slabs and enclosures, mainly from the 17th century onwards, surround the site of the former kirk, whose remains are no longer visible. These include small headstones depicting figures, tools, animals and classical motifs. A random rubble enclosure without railings comprises a dwarf wall with an ashlar cope and a table slab at the centre commemorating Rev James Boes. A polished grey granite memorial slab dated 1904 to James Macalister Hall of Tangy and Killean is mounted on a corniced pedestal of stugged grey granite with sandstone ashlar dressings, with cast-iron railings to the enclosure.

The southern graveyard is a later cemetery to the south with a variety of 19th and 20th century headstones. The finest is an Egypto-classical memorial to Jessie Eliza Weir, dated 1908, of tripartite form with a higher centre bay surmounted by a frieze with anthemion carving, a cornice and a block pediment above. Nearby is a modest sandstone and white marble headstone to Henry Edward Clifford, architect, dated 1932.

The south-west graveyard and war memorial occupy the hillside to the south-west. The war memorial is formally laid out and accessed by ramped terracing. The memorial comprises a tapered Portland stone cross with a superimposed sword, standing on a stepped octagonal base. Flanking segmental-headed headstones to servicemen stand on the terrace below.