Documents

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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

  SM5585_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600011483)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises fragments of the S,W and N walls of the church pertaining to a Priory of Augustinian Canons, dedicated to St Fillan, and a graveyard lying to the NE. The earliest foundation on the site was that of a non-parochial chapel dating to the late 13th century which was later converted into both a parochial and conventual establishment. The Priory was founded in 1317/18, with a grant to the church fabric recorded in 1329, and dissolved in 1607.

The S wall of the church stands to the greatest height and is of rubble construction with a deeply splayed plinth and a number of window openings. Traces of structures to the E of the upstanding remains are interpreted as including the apse of the building and the remains of some of the conventual buildings: most Scottish houses were small and poorly endowed and the conventual planning at St Fillans could prove to be strikingly irregular. The graveyard, bounded by a modern stone dyke, lies to the NE of the Priory church and contains gravestones dating mainly to the 18th-20th centuries but including two early Christian carved stones.

The monument was first scheduled in 1993 but an inadequate area was included to protect all the archaeological remains: the present rescheduling rectifies this. The area to be scheduled is irregular in shape with maximum dimensions of 40m N-S by 60m E-W to include the remains of the Priory Church, an area lying to the E where archaeological deposits are likely to survive and the graveyard lying to the NE of the church. From the northernmost corner of the graveyard, the boundary follows the line of the enclosing dyke to the SE before turning SW to the southernmost point of the enclosure.

It then runs due S until it meets the bank of the burn at which point it turns due W to meet the southernmost corner of the enclosure surrounding the church. The boundary then follows the line of this enclosure in an anti-clockwise direction to its NE corner and crosses the line of The West Highland Way to meet the SW corner of the graveyard wall. It then turns NNE to the starting point, as marked in red on the accompanying map. The top 0.3m of The West Highland Way track and associated car park are excluded from the scheduling to allow for their maintenance.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because it is a well documented example of a church patronised by Robert I which gained priory status in 1318. It is described as the monastery or Chapel Royal of Strathfillan in 1542-43. Although the domestic buildings of the priory have been removed the church and graveyard provide and have the potential to provide further evidence, through excavation, which may contribute to our understanding of Medieval monasticism, ecclesiastical architecture, Royal patronage, burial practices and material culture during the period of its construction and use.

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.