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

  SM5618_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011516)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the remains of the old parish church of Dunbennan.

The parsonage of Dunbennan, was conjoined with that of Kinnoir, and was erected into a prebend of Elgin Cathedral around AD.1222, this was confirmed by Pope Honorious III and re-confirmed by Andrew, Bishop of Moray in 1226. Despite the conjunction, Dunbennan continued in use until 1725. All that remains to indicate the location of the latest church, probably dating from the 16th century and replacing an earlier structure, is a rubble-built burial enclosure.

The orientation of this is truer than that of the surrounding cemetery, and although architectural detail is lacking, it seems very likely that its N, S and E walls are built over and possibly incorporate the remains of the old church. The enclosure is situated in the NE portion of a rectangular burial ground formed by levelling up the

ground surface, apparently in the 18th century, and subsequently extended to the NW.

The enclosure is square on plan and aligned roughly E-W. It measures 6.35m E-W by 6.05m N-S over walls 0.6m thick and 1.7m high. A gap opens in the N side of the W wall. The walls of the enclosure have been re-pointed and capped. One grave stone inserted in the W wall may be of 17th-century date, another in the E wall is of 18th-century date. Several 19th-century memorials are fixed to the exterior walls.

The area to be scheduled is square with sides measuring a maximum of 45m to include the buried remains of the church and the original area of the graveyard, as shown in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as an example of a Medieval parish church, documented as a joint parsonage with Kinnoir and erected into a prebend of Elgin Cathedral around AD 1222. Although the present structure is much altered, it may contain material from a 16th century church and is very likely to overlie the remains of an earlier Medieval foundation. As such it has the potential to provide evidence, through excavation, which may determine the location, extent and chronology of any earlier structure and thereby for increasing our understanding of ecclesiastical architecture, parish history and material culture in Scotland during the Middle Ages.

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.