The Mausoleum for the MacLaines of Lochbuie

Caibeal Mheamhair chapel or mausoleum stands close to the east shore of Lochbuie and aprroximately one mile from Moy Castle and is the family Mausoleum and graveyard for the MacLaines of Lochbuie.

The main part of the building is of a late medieval date. Above the doorway to the Chapel is a plaque inscribed “Consecrated to St. Kenneth 1500”, however nothing is known of the early history of the chapel and it had presumably fallen into disuse by 1701, when the first recorded burial took place. The present appearance of the building owes much to the restoration carried out in 1864 by Donald, 22nd of Lochbuie.

The interior has none of it’s earlier features and the whole of the east end, which serves as the mausoleum is sealed off behind a Gothic-arched screen wall.

Inside the chapel is a late medieval octagonal font carved from Carsaig sandstone, and three post-reformation table-tombs bearing inscriptions to various members of the MacLaine family. There is also an incomplete recumbent slab of sandstone broken into two fragments and is probably of the 17th century. Finally, there is a mural monument of white marble commemorating Murdoch MacLaine 20th of Lochbuie who died in 1844.

Table-tomb stones of note within the Chapel are those of Murdoch -10th Lochbuie – who died in 1662, Hector-12th Lochbuie- died in 1701, Murdoch – 13th Lochbuie- who died in 1729, and Margaret the wife of Hector – 12th Lochbuie.

The Chapel’s preservation is the responsibility of the Clan Chief.