Alves – Churches, Towers and Historic Traces

Alves is a destination for travellers who want to discover history in a variety of settings. Churches, bells, war graves, a Gothic ornamental tower, a stone circle and preserved castle remains present the village from several historical perspectives. For families and other travel groups, this creates an itinerary in which cultural discoveries can be combined with planning each day according to their own preferences.

Churches and Historic Memorial Sites

The cemetery of Alves Old Parish Church contains two Commonwealth war graves from the First World War. They belong to Private G. Millar of the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and Private T. Robertson of the Seaforth Highlanders. This site makes a specific period of history visible without implying that it represents the overall character of the entire cemetery.

Alves Old Church is no longer used for religious purposes. Its long, narrow, rectangular shape and the striking arrangement of windows on the south side, with eight bays, give the building a distinctive appearance. Alves Parish Church is also no longer used for religious purposes. In its present form, it is dated to 1878. The church also displays two bells made by Michael Burgherhys Holland in 1637 and 1639. They were removed from the old Alves Parish Church in 1978.

York Tower, Stone Circle and Fortification

One of the prominent historical landmarks is York Tower, a three-storey Gothic ornamental tower on a hill, dated 5 January 1827. The stone circle at Knock of Alves lies 200 metres south of York Tower. This precisely stated distance helps locate the two sites in relation to one another without implying a specific route or accessibility. Directly northeast of York Tower is the Forteath Mausoleum, built around 1850 by A. and W. Reid.

Knock of Alves is also home to a partially damaged fort with fivefold fortification consisting of three walls and two outer ramparts. Those interested in historic sites can incorporate various forms of construction and defensive structures into their itinerary here. The surviving remains of Asliesk Castle complete this picture: they probably date from the late 16th century. Only the west wall and fragments of the adjoining north and south walls remain.

Alves as a Starting Point for Trip Planning

When looking for a holiday apartment or holiday home in Alves, it is worth deciding on the main focus of the trip in advance. Those primarily interested in churches, bells, towers and historic sites will find several different themes in one place in Alves. Anyone wishing to put the surrounding area into a broader context can also take bus route 31 into account; it connects Elgin, Alves and Forres. This connection is a specific part of getting oriented in the area and can be considered when choosing the right holiday destination.

Compare Further Destinations

If you would like to compare Alves with other destinations, you can read on here: Keith, Elgin, Burghead, Knock, Dufftown, Drumin, Buckie, Glenlivet.

For the overarching travel overview: Moray.