Heartlands - Middle Haugh

Middle Haugh Ruined Kirkyard Journey Stone
Image provided by The Heartlands Stitchers George honing his sewing skills
Image provided by The Heartlands Stitchers Vicky and George
Image provided by The Heartlands Stitchers Vicki, Trevor and Margaret of the Heartlands Stitchers
Image provided by Smartify

TELLING THE STORY OF THE HEARTLANDS PANEL

Vicki and her son George, who is 7 and learned to sew at school, stitched this journey stone. Vicki writes

The kirkyard is strangely important to us as a little historical adventure near our home. The wall which surrounds the old graveyard and burial place of some of the Fergusson clan is all that is left of St Catherine’s church and is now well hidden and overgrown.

The mound on which it stands may have Pictish origin. We had been told about the burial ground by the previous owner of our house with the wry reminiscence of his children (30ish years ago) returning from their adventures one day shouting ‘Look Dad, Bones!!!’ (said bones were swiftly returned to their casket and the children advised to leave them alone).

We didn’t find the ruin until Lockdown 2020 when more local adventures could be undertaken (we usually don’t walk along the road as it doesn’t have pavements and the children were somewhat small). Sure enough there were two caskets set into the wall, one crumbling and the other looking more recent leading me to think that this place isn’t quite as forgotten as folk think.

When this project was first discussed I immediately chose it as our journey stone as it’s special to us. Even some of our neighbours don’t know it’s there, it’s so well hidden, and you won’t find Middle Haugh (Na Manaich - The Fourich) on many maps either (just East and West), as that seems to have been forgotten too.

Middle Haugh Old Churchyard
Image provided by The Heartlands Stitchers

HEAR MORE ABOUT VICKI'S JOURNEY STONE

This audio forms part of a series of audio interviews conducted in 2023 by Smartify as part of the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands project. Listen and discover the Spirit of the Highlands and Islands through the eyes of the stitchers of the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands.

Listen here to Vicki as she shares her story of coming across Middle Haugh, a kirk in Highland Perthshire where there is history in every step.

Because no one goes up there, no one disturbs it. It's very hidden and it's a very private place...eventually you won't know it's there because it will fall down completely. And then it will be gone.