Description

The monument comprises the remains of Fetterangus church, which is supposed to have been built around 1120, and is also mentioned in the thirteenth century. Although the churchyard wall was rebuilt in 1877, its sub-rectangular outline suggests that the enclosure may have an early origin.

The remains of the church stand on a low eminence in the north-western part of the enclosure, near to the present gate. The surviving walls are effectively drystone and infested with ivy roots, but appear to cover a mortared foundation. They are 0.8m-0.9m thick and stand no more than 1m high, forming a rectangle which measures 11.7m long and 5.65m-5.75m wide.

The position of a door in the south wall is indicated by a gap some 1.46m wide, 3.3m from the south-west corner. A stone with a round depression in its upper surface has been set into the turf in the centre of the interior and a fragment of a red sandstone water stoop lies on the ground against the inside face of the south wall.

Much of the rest of the interior has been used for burials: those of members of the Grant family (1798-1915) in the eastern part, those of the Stott family (1900-58) in the western part, and one dated 1766 in the centre. The most recent interment appears to have been a cremation marked "LAL" (obit 30 November 1991).

The scheduled area includes the remains of the church and a strip of ground extending 3m out from its walls, forming an area measuring 17.7m by 11.75m overall, as indicated in red on the accompanying map extract.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Statement of Scheduling

The monument is of national importance because it represents the remains of a simple rural medieval church built on a site where there is likely to have been earlier ecclesiastical activity. Its importance in this respect is enhanced by the existence of a (scheduled) symbol stone in the churchyard.

Although much of the below ground archaeological remains will have been disturbed by burials, what is left has the potential to shed further light on the design of the building and the material culture of those who built it and worshipped in it.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography

RCAHMS records the monument as NJ 95 SE 4.

References:

Allen, J. R. and Anderson, J. (1903) The early Christian monuments of Scotland: a classified illustrated descriptive list of the monuments with an analysis of their symbolism and ornamentation, Edinburgh, Vol. 3, 164.

Cowan, I. B. (1967) The parishes of medieval Scotland, Scot Rec Soc, Vol. 93, Edinburgh, 65.

Jackson, A. (1984) The symbol stones of Scotland; a social anthropological resolution to the problem of the Picts, Kirkwall.

MacKinlay, J. M. (1914) Ancient church dedications in Scotland: non-scriptural dedications, Edinburgh, 211.

Ordnance Survey (Name Book) Object Name Books of the Ordnance Survey, Book No. 82, 29.

Ritchie, J. N. G. (1985) Pictish symbol stones: a Handlist 1985, Edinburgh, 6.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland