Documents

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

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM8843_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600013429)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of St Fergus's Church (the old parish church of Dyce) and its burial ground.

The old parish church of Dyce, dedicated to St Fergus, is a pre-Reformation building, dating from the 13th or 14th century. It is rectangular in plan, measuring 17m E-W by 6.7m N-S, with walls 0.8m thick standing to roof level. The walls are rubble built. There is a bell-cote, ascribed to the 15th century, on the W gable, remains of a moulded gothic doorway in the S wall, and the base of a sacrament house in the N wall. The other doors and windows date, in their present form, from after the Reformation.

The original burial ground, which surrounds the church on all sides within a boundary wall, is no longer in use. A more recent cemetery, still in use, is attached to the SW.

Two large symbol stones and four smaller cross-inscribed stones recovered from the site are in the care of the Scottish Ministers.

The area to be scheduled is approximately rectangular, its edge defined by the boundary wall of the burial ground. It includes the boundary wall, the burial ground and the church, in which associated remains are likely to survive. The area measures approximately 50m W-E by 45m N-S as indicated in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of the information that it provides, and has the potential to provide by archaeological investigation, concerning the architecture, religion, art, language and burial customs of the inhabitants of the region from the 7th to the 19th centuries. Its importance is enhanced by its association with Pictish period symbol stones, some with ogham inscriptions, and with other cross-incised stones. It is highly likely that the present church lies on the site of an earlier monument.

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 showing the scheduled area is the legal part of the scheduling. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary. 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.