Documents

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The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM5810_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011707)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of St Ethernan's, the old parish church of Rathen. The present edifice dates from the seventeenth century and occupies the site of an earlier church, first on record as a parsonage between 1207 and 1228.

The church was dedicated to St Ethernan (Eddran), the early Christian saint who is said to have consecrated a church at "Rethin" in the sixth century. The present church occupying the site bears the date 1633 on its S aisle. The remains of the main part of the church consist of the intact W gable, part of the S wall and a round-arched opening (partly blocked) to the S aisle. The building measures 7.8m N-S and has been at least 20m from E-W over walls 0.8m thick.

The W gable has a shouldered-arched doorway below a semi-circular headed window with roll-moulded jambs. The aisle, originally crowstepped, is dated 1633 and projects 10.45m from the S wall. In the W wall of the aisle is a round-arched doorway with a draw-bar hole. Above the door is a panel with the inscription, "Alexander Fraser of Philorth, Patron", a coat of arms and part of a broken inscription. In the E wall of the aisle is an ogee-headed aumbry, and a rectangular recess, probably a piscina to the S of it.

The lower skewputt stones on the aisle are carved: that on the W with a human face, the E one with a ram's head. The walls of the nave are rubble-built but much of the upper part of the church was probably rebuilt when a new bellcote was added in 1782. A diamond shaped sundial (1625) which probably fell from the S wall of the aisle has been fixed to the W wall of the main body of the church.

The area to be scheduled is rectangular, extending 2m from the exterior walls of the church and measuring a maximum of 22.25m N-S by 24m E-W, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as it is a good example of a late medieval church, the last of a succession of ecclesiastical buildings occupying this site. A church has been documented here from the thirteenth century, when Richard, parson of Rathen, is recorded as a witness to charters by Adam, Bishop of Aberdeen, between 1207 and 1228. The benefice of Rathyn was given to the Chapter and College of Canons of St Machar's Cathedral by Robert I in 1328.

A chapel is traditionally thought to have been consecrated in the late sixth century by St Ethernan from whom the place derives its name. The building and its underlying archaeology are a valuable resource which through a combination of excavation and analysis may increase our understanding of the spread of the early Christian church, ecclesiastical architecture, and episcopal and secular patronage in Scotland during the Middle Ages and earlier.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

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.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

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