Innerpeffray

After church on Sunday morning and lunch back at our cottage we took the short drive over to Innerpeffray Chapel and Library. (View from behind the Library added as an extra.)

The Chapel, now in the care of Historic Scotland, was built around 1507 as a private chapel for the Drummond family, and priests were employed to pray for the souls of that family. Although its use as a chapel ended with the Reformation, its status as a mausoleum meant it was spared much of the destruction visited upon other ecclesiastical buildings.

The Library, however, has a different history. Founded in 1680 as Scotland's first free public lending library, it has an astonishing range of rare and valuable books, all with a Scottish connection of one kind or another. It stopped being a lending library only in 1968.

The volunteer guides took a great pride in showing us some of the books and it was jaw-dropping to see them so close up. One book we saw dated from 1476 and some of the stories behind the manuscripts were fascinating.

It was a thoroughly wonderful visit. We had planned to visit another attraction afterwards, but ran out of time. No-one complained, though, as we were all quite gobsmacked from the Library experience.

Back to the cottage, quick cup of tea and then it was time to pack up and head for home. A very relaxing, and very welcome, break.