Scheduled Monument

St Mary's Church, StowSM8215

Status: Designated

Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

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.

Summary

Date Added
01/03/2000
Type
Ecclesiastical: church
Local Authority
Scottish Borders
Parish
Stow
NGR
NT 45934 44557
Coordinates
345934, 644557

Description

The monument consists of the remains of the parish church of Stow, dedicated to St Mary.

The church is thought to have been built in the 15th century, but earlier ecclesiastical associations may exist (either on this site or on the site of the Lady Chapel to the south of Stow). When the Scots conquered Lothian in 1018, the church of St Mary of Wedale passed into the diocese of St Andrews. It was famous throughout the Middle Ages for its privilege of sanctuary and for the fragments of an image of the Virgin, supposedly brought from Jerusalem by King Arthur.

The 15th-century church comprised a nave and chancel, although the latter was largely rebuilt in the 17th century. At the same time an external stair was added at the east end and a square aisle on the south side of the nave. Some of the red ashlar of the earlier church can be seen on the north nave wall and at the south-west corner, where there is a section of the old base course. The 17th century work is a mixture of rubble and freestone. The church measures about 24m W-E (including the external stair) by about 13m N-S (including the south aisle).

The old parish church of Stow was abandoned in 1876 when the present church was erected a little to the south. Some repair work was carried out by the owner in the early 1990s, but the church remains ruinous.

The area to be scheduled is irregular on plan, measuring a maximum of 55m E-W by 30m N-S and includes an area around the church which is likely to include archaeological deposits associated with the church. It is marked in red on the accompanying map. Excluded from the scheduling are all post-Reformation gravestones and any burial lairs with existing burial rights.

References

Bibliography

No Bibliography entries for this designation

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.

Images

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Printed: 28/03/2024 15:46