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

  SM5475_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011375)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of the old parish church of Rothiemay which is thought to occupy the site of an early Christian foundation established by St Drostan, Abbot of Deer in Buchan in the sixth century.

Although it is likely that this site has been occupied by earlier buildings, the latest church built on the banks of the Deveron probably dates from the late Middle Ages. It survives as a series of turf-covered stone footings situated in meadowland on the W side of the Kirkton Burn and N of the River Deveron.

The church is rectangular on plan with a small transept projecting 7m from the E end of the S wall. The footings are no more than 0.2m high and measure 23m E-W by 15.1m N-S overall with walls 0.9m thick. A document of 1540 to Alexander, Lord Saltoun who received a tack of the parsonage refers to the building as the "queir of Rothiemay". The roof was thatched at this date, and possibly until 1626, when an entry in the Kirk Session's proceedings ordained three horses to bring slates to the Kirk. The church was in use until 1752 when the first Earl of Fife pulled it down because it interfered with the privacy of his house.

A new church, presumably utilising stone from the earlier church, was built at Milltown of Rothiemay. It or its successor, now dated 1807, has since 1959 incorporated a round-headed doorway with a winged figure on its keystone, said to have come originally from the monument. An octagonal font from the monument is also housed in the present church. Only a single tomb slab, dated 1779, lies within the foundations of the monument. There was formerly an extensive burial ground around the church.

The area to be scheduled is rectilinear, extending 20m from the exterior walls of the church and measuring a maximum of 63m E-W by 55m N-S, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as an example, albeit reduced to its foundations, of a well-documented church, which is likely to have been built on or near the site chosen as a religious foundation by St Drostan in the sixth century. During the Medieval period Rothiemay flourished as a mensal church of the Bishop of Moray and various entries concerning it are documented in the chartulary of that diocese. In addition it provides evidence and has the potential to provide further evidence, through a combination of excavation and historic research, for religious architecture, liturgy and design, building phases, the parish network, settlement evolution and material culture in Scotland during the Medieval and Early Modern periods.

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.