Beauly chapel

[Lee Morgan]

I'm researching a marriage which took place in 1900 at Beauly.

On the registration document it gives the location as: "The Roman Catholic Chapel Beauly." Would I be right in assuming this to mean St. Mary's or was there a smaller chapel in the area too? Is there any reason it wouldn't simply be called St. Mary's on the document?

[Ruskie]

It looks that way:
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/INV/Kilmorack

I am not sure if there is a reason why it was not called St Mary but you often see wording such as "The Parish Church" on documents rather than a specific name.

[Rosinish]

It may be worth adding addresses of the couple in question to try & work out a reason?

The areas of their addresses may be the answer as nearest church to their abodes?

"The Catholic Directory entries of 1845 and 1846 record that 'Beauly is served from Inverness', i.e. a priest would travel over from Inverness to offer Mass in Beauly. Before the present church was built there was a chapel recorded from 1843 onwards, which was in Croyard Road opposite the Church of Scotland."

I haven't seen whether 'onwards' relates to this day or when?

I haven't checked when the 'present church' was built but there seems to be a few things online which are all downloadable rather than readable on a normal search.

Annie

[Ruskie]

St Marys Beauly was founded in 1864 Annie.

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/sct/INV/Kilmorack/StMary

[Rosinish]

Thanks Ruskie,

I think their addresses at time of marriage against the locations of both chapel & church could maybe give the answer but if in the case of where the brides parents lived/worshipped/where she was baptised may have also been a factor?

Annie

[Ruskie]

I agree that their addresses might give the answers here. Alternatively, it could be a 'family' church.

[Rosinish]

It does seem from the quote I found, one was called 'Chapel', the other called 'Church' i.e. that may well have been why it was emphasised on the marriage as 'Chapel' to differentiate?

Annie

[Ruskie]

The marriage took place in 1900. I did read that there were a lot of Catholics in the area, but once the big church opened in 1864, with a relatively small population, would they still keep a small chapel too?

It would be interesting to find out.

But yes, your theory about the reason for specifying "Church" makes sense. 

[Skoosh]

RC churches in Scotland are generally referred to as "The Chapel" whatever their size! The Lovat Frasers were Catholic & had a chapel, St Mary's at Eskadale to the west!

Skoosh.