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.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM90212_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014739)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of the collegiate church of St Mary, founded within a pre-existing chapel in 1382. It is suggested that this was substantially rebuilt during the early fifteenth century using coursed rubble with freestone dressings; most walls are preserved to near wallhead height.

The church is rectangular on plan, with 2 post-medieval burial enclosures on its N side, the western of these re-using the N and E walls of the sacristy. The group of buildings measures approximately 19m E-W by 12m N-S.

The choir, occupying slightly over half the length of the church, is externally divided by buttresses into 3 bays,and there are clasping buttresses at NW and SE corners; the SE buttresses are gables. The choir has 2 blocked windows to the S and one to the E, the E and SE of which contain remains of flowing tracery of very high quality.

The nave has a trefoil-headed lancet to the S and another (blocked) to the N; a window in the W wall is blocked by a secondary buttress. The church is entered by a door at the W end of the S wall, with dog-tooth moulding in revived 13th century style. A tomb doubling as an Easter Sepulchre in the N wall of the choir also shows dogtooth decoration. The floor level has been raised within the church.

The sacristy retains part of a barrel vault, and was incorporated into a burial aisle built for the Kennedies of Colaine in the 17th century.

The area to be scheduled is irregular in shape, measuring a maximum of 65m E-W by 25m N-S, and includes the church, the present walled enclosure, and a further area to the S and E into which burial is likely to have extended, as defined by the edges of pavements and property boundaries and shown outlined in red on the accompanying map.

The monument consists of the remains of the collegiate church of St Mary, founded within a pre-existing chapel in 1382. It is suggested that this was substantially rebuilt during the early fifteenth century using coursed rubble with freestone dressings; most walls are preserved to near wallhead height.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the well-preserved remains of a collegiate church of medieval date containing architectural detail of high quality and surrounded by a contemporary burial ground. Study of the standing fabric and of below-ground remains provides, and has the potential to provide further, evidence to enhance understanding of medieval ecclesiastical architecture and practices, funerary practices and demographic studies.

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.