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Summary

Description

David Smith, 1842 incorporating dated 1639 burial vault; circa 1947 interior refurnishing. Rectangular-plan former parish church. Stugged, squared and coursed red sandstone with margins. Base course. Shallow pointed-arched openings with chamfered arises. 2-light and Y-traceried windows; those to N, W and S elevation with stone transom. Cruciform finial to E gable. W gable with window flanked by entrances with 2-leaf panelled timber doors; square bellcote with finial to gable apex.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: N elevation incorporating burial vault of the Carnegys of Balnamoon off centre to left; elliptical arch with heraldic panel above (see NOTES) and later inscribed stone plaques; enclosed by low sandstone ashlar wall with moulded cope and topped by cast iron decorative railings and taller rubble and coped wall to E with memorial plaques. S elevation with carved memorial panel to left set within gableted frame and carved angel head at apex (see NOTES).

Pitched roof, grey slates. Saddlebacked-coped skews and moulded skewputts.

INTERIOR (seen 2012): coombed and ribbed ceiling with corbels and foliated bosses. Raked timber gallery to W wall supported on painted cast iron columns, with cusped carving to balustrade. Refurnished circa 1947 including timber pulpit.

Statement of Special Interest

Place of worship no longer in use as such. This former parish church is as a good example of its building type and forms an important group with the adjacent churchyard (see separate listing). Externally the building is largely unaltered exhibiting simple architectural detailing appropriate for its rural setting. The fabric of the building incorporates important 17th century monuments of interest, such as the Carnegy burial vault. The building is an integral part of the small settlement in which it is situated, which appears to have changed little since the 1st edition Ordnance Survey map.

Menmuir Parish Church was constructed in 1842 and is one of the last parish churches to have been constructed before the historic disruption of 1843, when members broke away from the established church and formed the Free Church. Menmuir Parish replaced an earlier church, built in 1767. Both churches are believed to be on the site of a medieval parish church. Menmuir Parish Church was closed in the 1990s.

The heraldic panel of the Carnegy vault is inscribed with the initials S.A.C and D.G.B denoting Sir Alexander Carnegy amd Dame Giles Blair. The carved memorial panel memorial on the S elevation was erected by Alexander and George Fairweather, James Don and Alexander Smith in memory of their ancestors and to commerate their own families. Above the inscription is a carved oval tablet, containing four monogrammed cartouches and dated 1717. Below the description of carvings of emblems of death. The inscription has been added to circa 1809. All are set within a gableted frame with a carved angel head at apex.

David Smith was principal architect to James Black of Dundee from 1836 but seems to have undertaken independent commissions. Smith continued Black's architectural practice on his death (24 May 1841), prior to setting up his own independent practice less than a month later. His other work included Forfar County Offices and an extension to Arbroath Town House (see separate listings) and eccelesiastical work such as a congregational church on Princes Street, Dundee (now demolished).

Category changed from B to C, statutory address and list description updated 2012. Formerly listed as "Parish Church".

References

Bibliography

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