Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

William Scott, dated 1848, incorporating an earlier burial vault. T-plan, simple gothic church. Stugged snecked rubble sandstone with margined ashlar dressings, grey slate roof. Pointed windows with hoodmoulds and label stops, geometric tracery at S, wheel window with moulded architrave at E and W gable; pointed arch doorways with chamfered reveals; diagonal buttresses; moulded saddleback-coped skews with skewputts, cruciform finials at N and E gables.

W ELEVATION: gabled porch at advanced right gable with 2-leaf door, inscribed shield, diagonal buttresses, window at left and right returns, fleur-de-lys finial; window above, corbelled octagonal birdcage bellcote at apex with pointed-arch openings, gablets and pinnacled roof, chain and bell-pull to bell; square-plan stair tower with door at left re-entrant angle, window at left return; recessed bay at far left with door and heraldic panel above dated 1642 (no 4 missing).

N GABLE: stepped 3-light window at centre, heraldic shields and inscriptions ?TF? and ?MG? at left and right.

E ELEVATION: similar to W elevation but with angle stack at re-entrant bay and no bellcote.

S ELEVATION: inscribed date panel at centre, 2 windows at left and right.

INTERIOR: fine panelled pulpit at S wall flanked by 2 flights of stairs with turned balusters, ornate octagonal tester with crown spire and crocketted finials; pews probably original, 2 box pews flanking pulpit; stained glass windows at S, E and W probably by C and L Ower, 1880s; simple coombed and ribbed ceiling; carved screen in N aisle with stained glass depicting McGavin of Ballumbie family arms; moulded stone panel with 8 family arms and names on E wall; panelled gallery with small organ.

Statement of Special Interest

The church is an ecclesiastical building in use as such, occupying the site of an earlier probably pre-Reformation building, the parish having been the gift of Gilchrist, Earl of Angus to the Abbey of Arbroath in 1211-14. There was also a chapel in the den near Ballumbie Castle which by circa 1590 seems to have been amalgamated with Murroes church; according to Warden, the site of the chapel was still ?shown? in 1885. Jougs which were formerly attached to the outside of the building are now stored within the church. The inscription over the east door reads ?Ora et Labora? (Pray and Labour), and over the west door ?Laus Et Honor Deo? (Praise and Honour be to God). The initials ?TF? and ?MG? on the north gable refer to Thomas Fothringham and Margaret Gibson his wife. The inscription on the dated panel on the south wall reads (in Latin) ?This church was consecrated to Christ, the Light of the World, and the author of human salvation, in the year of Our Lord, 1848?. Robert Edward, minister of Murroes during the second half of the 17th century wrote (in Latin) A DESCRIPTION OF THE COUNTY OF ANGUS (1678), including a map, reprinted in Warden, op.cit (1881), vol II. One of Edward?s sons was the architect Alexander Edward, see John Lowrey, ALEXANDER EDWARD: CLERGYMAN, ARCHITECT, JACOBITE, Crawford Centre,

St Andrews, 1987.

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.