Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Late 13th century. Single bay, rectangular plan church, roof no longer in place. Coursed sandstone ashlar to E and S; sandstone rubble to W; snecked sandstone rubble to N; polished dressings. Base course and string course, except to W end of church; cavetto eaves course to lateral walls. Predominantly traceried pointed arched windows; hoodmoulds with carved drip stones; chamfered reveals. Gabletted angle buttresses to E. Stone skews with gabletted skewputts to E gable.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: rebuilt in 17th century using old stone. Symmetrical; single bay; gabled. Round arched doorway to centre of ground; window in gablehead above. Carved stone cross finial to apex, restored 1984.

S ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 4 bay. Bay to outer left rebuilt in 17th century; single rectangular window opening; round arched opening to penultimate bay to left. Penultimate bay to right and bay right divided by gabletted buttress; window with carved hoodmould to each bay; flat arched door way to outer right.

E ELEVATION: symmetrical; single bay. Large window to centre; flanked by wall monument to Charles Hitchener of Stobsmills dated 1831; circular recess set in gablehead. Simple, square plan 17th century bellcote (bell now on Temple Parish Church/Shillinghill see separate listing) inscribed "V?SAC MIHM"; vertical groove from bell pull.

N ELEVATION: asymmetrical, 5 bay. Square headed window openings to centre and outer right bays; narrow pointed arched opening to penultimate bay to right; low trefoil arched doorway recessed in pointed arch to penultimate bay to left; window to outer left flanked by remains of broad buttress to left.

INTERIOR: rubble lined. Roll moulded arches. Remains of 2 sedilia with trefoil heads to centre of S elevation; doorway flanked by piscina to right. Segmental arched late 14th century tomb recess to right of doorway of N elevation.

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: rubble boundary wall to E, N and W with predominantly rubble coping, semi circular to W of N wall. Polished ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps to E of N wall; opening towards W, and coped rubble gatepiers W of N wall.

Statement of Special Interest

SCHEDULED MONUMENT. This picturesque ruin, conserved in the early 1980's by Simpson and Brown of Edinburgh, is rich in history. Temple Village takes it's name from the Knights Templars whose Headquarters it was from the early 12th century (the first reference being in a charter of 1175-99), it only became known as such in about 1570, being originally called Balintrode or Balantrodach. The Order of the Temple was founded to protect pilgrims in the Holy Land, and the Knights were given land in England and Scotland as a reward. However, the style and details of the church, as is suggested by McWilliam (p446), suggest that it is of the late 13th or early 14th century. The incription "V?SAC MIHM" on the E gable below the bellcote seems to be a mystery. It has been suggested that it could stand for "Vienne Sacrum Militibus Johannis Hierosolymitani Mletensibus" (The Sacred Council of Vienne, to the Knights of St. John of jerusalem and Malta), or alternatively "Virgin ?des Sacra Matri Jesu Hominum Mediatoris" (Church Sacred to the Virgin, Mother of Jesus, Mediator of Men). In 1312 the Order was suppressed, and the lands were given to the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, whose good work was funded by the residents of Temple who gave them one tenth of their income.

Amended Scheduled Area 29 October 1999, No 1191.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.