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

  SM9851_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600018796)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of the lower walls of the chancel of the medieval parish church of Monimail. The church is known to have been in existence by 1329 at the latest, when it was annexed to the bishopric of St Andrews.

The medieval structure appears to have been an elongated rectangle. The main medieval features surviving are a fine sacrament house and a tomb recess to its W. The locker of the Sacrament House is an ogee-arched recess at the bottom of a rectangular panel defined by raised nouldings; flanking the head of the locker are two coats of arms, one being the crowned royal arms, and the other having unidentified charges.

The arched tomb recess is likely to have been provided for the builder of the church to its final state, and in this position may also have served as an Easter Sepulchre. After the Reformation the church was extended to a T-shaped plan by the addition of an aisle built for the first earl of Melville in the later seventeenth century, probably around the same time that Melville House was built for him.

The church passed out of use for worship in 1796, and was adapted to form a number of burial enclosures. The walls of the church were greatly reduced and capped by simple coping, and the S side of the Melville Aisle was walled up. The original chancel area was walled off to form a separate enclosure for the Balfour of Fernie family, and the area enclosed by the original nave was extended to the S.

The area to be scheduled is limited to the area of the chancel, with maximum dimensions of about 6m from E to W and 7m from N to S. The area is marked in red on the accompanying map extract.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance as the remains of a medieval parish church with some notably fine liturgical fixtures. It is of further importance for the archaeological potential of the site to provide information on medieval church planning and subsequent adaptation for reformed worship.

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.