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

  SM7034_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600012696)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises the remains of a medieval church and its kirkyard, situated at the roadside some 50m NW of Southdean. The church is associated with the Battle of Otterburn in 1388; the leaders of the Scottish army are said to have met at the church on the eve of the battle.

The monument comprises the foundations of a church and the fragmentary outline of an earlier structure 1.5m outside the N wall of the nave. The later building consists of a chancel, nave and a W tower. The E side of the tower is about 1.8m high but its outer sides had been reduced to the lowest courses. The nave walls stand approximately 0.7m-0.9m high but those of the chancel stand just to the base courses.

The tower and nave are generally believed to date from the 13th century and are constructed of rubble masonry, roughly squared and built to courses. The tower has a splayed base course and was entered directly from the nave. Towards the W end of the nave are two doors, one through the S wall and a smaller one through the N wall. The chancel walls are faced with ashlar and have two angle buttresses at the E end, with a splayed base course (now fragmentary) carried round the whole exterior. The chancel is evidently later than the nave and tower, probably dating to the 15th century.

The roof of the church collapsed in 1688 and the site became a grassed-over mound. In 1910 the site was excavated by Hawick Archaeological Society. During the excavation numerous pieces of carved stone were discovered including a late medieval super-altar and a font, both of which are now used in the modern parish church. Other carved stones lie in the reconstructed tower of the church.

The area to be scheduled encompasses the church, the kirkyard and its associated funerary monuments. The area is four-sided, with maximum dimensions of 40m NW to SE and 40m NE to SW as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as an example of a 13th century parish church, which may overlie an even earlier site, and that was later altered in the 15th century. Its archaeology has the potential to greatly contribute to an understanding of medieval art, architecture, religious practices and material culture. The site's importance is accentuated by its association with the Battle of Otterburn.

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.