Visit the Chapel of St James

St James Chapel (location highlighted) in the centre of the old village

Lying at the heart of the village is the oldest building in North Queensferry, the Chapel of St. James, the Patron Saint of Pilgrims. It was already ancient when it was granted to Dunfermline Abbey by Robert I (Robert the Bruce) around 1320, some seven centuries ago.

Imagine this view without the modern houses.
The chapel stands on the edge of the St James’s Bay where passengers arrived and departed long before any piers were built.

Crossing the Forth on a winter’s day in an open boat was not for the faint hearted, and many a traveller would have sheltered in the lee of the building while offering up a prayer for safe passage. Today it only takes a little imagination, or a sharp squall, to be reminded of the hazards faced by pilgrims and passengers.

This historic landmark is one link in the story of the Queensferry Passage named, along with the villages on each shore, for Queen Margaret (c 1046-93) who gave free passage to pilgrims crossing the Forth to visit her shrine at Dunfermline Abbey or the shrine of St Andrew.

The route is commemorated today by the Pilgrim Way long distance walk. The gateway arch opposite the chapel entrance facing the Forth Bridge marks the beginning of the stage to Dunfermline.

Around 1600, the chapel fell out of use – it was reportedly sacked by Cromwell’s troops after the Battle of Inverkeithing – but interior of the building and an adjacent plot became the village graveyard.

By the 1700’s the graveyard was managed by the Sailor’s Society – a type of friendly society which provided for the decent burial of villagers.

Today you can walk round the outside of the chapel grounds and catch a view of many of the gravestones through the iron gates in the high wall that dates from 1752. The chapel is near the beginning of several short Walks round North Queensferry

Sadly the chapel is struggling under a mass of invasive ivy. This has endangered the structure, makes public access unsafe, and is now degrading the inscription on some of the gravestones.

On the left is a photograph of Andrew Turnbull’s gravestone in 2009; on the right is the same view in 2022.

As unaccompanied access to the interior is restricted, we have compiled a Photographic Record of the gravestones, with details of the inscriptions.

If you would like to visit the chapel interior, please contact us by email – nqhtinfo@gmail.com – to arrange a viewing appointment.

Follow this link for the full story of The History of St James’s Chapel

As far as we know, the graveyard is not haunted!

More Visitor Attractions

Whey not make a day of your journey – just round the corner you can explore Robert Stevenson’s 1817 Light Tower, learn about the Ferry Service in the adjacent Pierhead Museum, visit the Village War Memorial then climb the Brae passing three Village Wells, to reach the Forth Bridge exhibition and giant mural at the Railway Station. a little further on is the present Village Church with its Ypres Bell.

You can pick up walking tour leaflets at any of these points or have a look at our online Walks Page