Insh Church

For most of its long history Insh Church always stood open to the public. It is a sad reflection of our times that it now has to be kept locked.

The church is dedicated to St Adamnan and is situated on a knoll overlooking Loch Insh. The earliest record of a church here dates from 1190. The present building dates from the 1790s and is one of the 'Parliamentary' churches designed by Thomas Telford at the behest of the Hanoverian government in an attempt to suppress Catholic and Jacobite support in the Highlands.

Within the church are an ancient stone font and a bell said to have healing powers and to be capable of flight. The bell flew back to Insh unaided from Scone Palace after having been stolen and taken there.

I am not certain but I suspect that the lozenge shaped flat stone in the extra may be a form of mortsafe. If so it would have been placed on top of newly buried coffins to thwart the efforts of Resurrectionists attempting to steal the corpse.