Between the A9 and the Cromarty Firth in the far north of Scotland is the Rosskeen burial ground .

Roskeen Cemetery, Invergordon, Rosshire, surrounds a disused presbyterian church.  Although the church is now boarded up, the cemetery is still in use.

Rosskeen Burial Ground, Scotland

The church was built in 1830-32 by James Smith on the site of an earlier chapel.

The church was repaired and altered by Andrew Maitland in 1853.

In the extensive grounds of the church is a small, quite insignificant building, which is the last resting place for the Munro’s of Newmore and Culrain.

Munro memorial. Rosskeen Burial Ground, Scotland

Said to have been erected in 1664 and restored in 1908 this building is the Munro Mausoleum or chapel.

You can read more about this mausoleum on our sister site – Heritage and History.

Recorded Graves

We have been unable to ascertain if there is a current gravestone recording or preservation project for Rosskeen cemetery but there are a few resources which list many of the Rosskeen graves.

Oddquine.co.uk – Unsure if this is an exhaustive list but there are thumbnail images of the graves along with names of the interred.

Oddquine.co.uk – WW1 War Graves of Rosskeen Cemetery.

The Invergordon Archive - Gives some very useful background information of the church and it’s surrounding area.  Some local names are mentioned.

Further information

Canmore ID 13618
Site Number NH66NE 13.00
NGR NH 68837 69250
Council HIGHLAND
Parish ROSSKEEN
Former Region HIGHLAND
Former District ROSS AND CROMARTY
Former County ROSS AND CROMARTY

Highland council – Information about the site

The Invergordon Archive

The Clan Munro of Foulis

In the beautiful English village of Wreay, only five miles outside Carlisle is St. Mary’s church.

Built in 1840-1842 to the specific Basilica design of Miss Sarah Losh in memory of her sister Catherine and parents.

Losh family burial plot

To the North of the church lies the Losh family burial plot.  A unique design with balustrades of stone edging the site and ornate carvings on some of the memorial stones depicting pine cones, palm trees and sea shells.

These designs were popular around the late 19th Century, reflecting the poineering seafaring journeys and discoveries of the time.

Among the people resting here are:

John Losh, partner in the Walker Alkali Works, Newcastle, High Sheriff of Cumberland in 1811, Provincial Grand Master for Cumberland who died 31 Mar 1814 and his wife Isabella, 17 Oct 1799, daughter of Thomas Bonner of Callerton Hall, near Newcastle.

Joseph Losh, 1789 – 17 Jan 1848 aged 59.

Sarah Losh, amateur architect, who rebuilt St. Mary’s Church, Wreay in 1840-42 and also built the Village School and other buildings in the village, 29 Mar 1853.

Sarah & Katherine

Katherine Isabella, who died aged 43 and buried on 26 Feb 1835.

John Joseph Losh, Lieutenant Colonel, 42nd Madras Native Infantry, Military Auditor of  Madras, Died 12 Mar 1862.

Robert Henry Losh of Langarth Cottage, Brisco. Died 7 Nov 1867.

William Septimus Losh, 24 Sep 1888 of Woodside and his wife (and first cousin) Sarah Spencer, 1883 daugther of George Losh.

Frances Elizabeth Losh, 22 Nov 1878 and her husband, Francis Coleridge Hutchinson, M.D., of Douglas, Isle of Man, 6 Oct 1863, both of The Cottage, Brisco.

Some of the stones are well weathered and the inscriptions barely discernable.  However, those wishing to trace an ancestor may do well to vist the following site detailing a Losh family history.

Near the burial plot is a mausoleum dedicated to Sarah’s Sister Catherine, containing an alabaster figure of her seated and holding a pine cone in her hand. The work of a Carlisle Sculptor, David Dunbar.   Pine cones are symbolic of eternal life and are used widely throughout the site and the church, the most recent sculpture added in 2000 to commemorate to millemium.

Cross & Mausoleum

A runic cross stands behind the mausoleum in memory of Sarah’s parents, which is said to be a copy of the Bewcastle Cross.