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St Mary's Chapel, Rothesay is a medieval chapel located on the Isle of Bute in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. The structure stands upon bedrock of the Stratheden Group, a Late Devonian formation of interbedded sandstone and conglomerate that underpins much of this part of the island. This geologically stable foundation has supported the chapel through centuries of occupation and use. The chapel is now protected as a scheduled monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90253, recognising its significance as a surviving example of medieval religious architecture in the western Isles.
The chapel's construction reflects the ecclesiastical traditions of medieval Scotland, a period when such places of worship were focal points for communities and pilgrimage. St Mary's exemplifies the smaller-scale chapel buildings that complemented the grander cathedral foundations elsewhere in Scotland during the medieval period. Its survival to the present day, despite the passage of centuries and changing religious practices following the Scottish Reformation, makes it an important physical record of the island's spiritual heritage and medieval settlement patterns.
St Mary's Chapel,Rothesay is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90253. View the official record →
St Mary's Chapel, Rothesay is a medieval chapel located on the Isle of Bute in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM90253.
St Mary's Chapel,Rothesay is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM90253.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Barone Hill,fort (1.8 km), Thom's Water Cuts, aqueduct from W of Kerrycrusach to N of Kerrycroy (2.2 km), Thom's Water Cuts, aqueduct, Cnocnicoll Wood (3.2 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of St Mary's Chapel,Rothesay's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
St Mary's Chapel,Rothesay stands on Stratheden Group, bedrock that formed in the Late Devonian. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.