Description

Fintray parish belonged to the Abbey of Lindores from the end of the 12th century until 1610, and a parish church dedicated to St Meddan was in use on this site until 1703, when a new church was built at Hatton of Fintray. The remains of the church now form a rectangular burial enclosure, some 20 by 7.8m; the walls stand about 3m high, and are capped by a sloping wallhead which oversails the outer face.

A wide gap in the north wall and smaller, lintelled opening in the south are closed by iron gates. Only the east wall, the east half of the north wall and east end of the south wall appear to belong to the medieval church, though it is likely that the other walls are built over medieval foundations. Near the east end of the north wall is a crudely carved late medieval sacrament house let into the wall, and above it a square stone panel covered with a depiction of Christ crucified flanked by 2 figures.

To the west of this, just before the gap in the wall, is the right-hand reveal of a blocked door or window. There are at least 4 medieval sculptured grave stones within the church and surrounding disused burial ground. The area to be scheduled includes the church, burial ground and boundary wall, a quadrangular area measuring some 70m on the north, east and south, 65m on the west.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because of the evidence that it provides, and has the potential to provide through archaeological excavation, for church history, ecclesiastical art and architecture, and burial practices during the Middle Ages.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NJ 81 NE 11.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland