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Archaeology Notes

Event ID 703937

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/703937

NS75NW 6.00 70490 58604

NS75NW 6.01 70514 58611 Churchyard

(NS 70471 58605) Church (NR)

OS 6" map (1910-38)

Secular College of Canons or Priests (scanty or no remains) existed until AD 1500.

OS Monastic Britain (North sheet) 1951

Collegiate Church of Bothwell - founded on 10th October, 1398 by Archibald, Earl of Douglas, for a provost and 8 prebendaries. The prebendaries had each a house and yard round the church. The houses are now demolished, but the yards retain the names of Vicar Yard, and Prebend Yard... It was, before, a cloister of Nuns. The present church was formerly used as the quire of the Collegiate church. It was deserted as a place of worship in 1828.

Statistical Account (OSA) 1796; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845; W Grossart 1880

Visited by OS (JLD) 23 June 1953

Bothwell Church: discoveries during the work of reconstruction, completed in 1933, revealed earlier foundations of the church choir; earlier than 14th century work. Fragments of dressed stones were found below the floor levels, including fragments of capital, abacus, base

and surbase, which belonged to the Late Norman or pre-Gothic style. "Assuming that the Norman church and aisles were of the same size as the 1833 nave, then we have a church with a double arcade, with north and south aisles".

J J Waddell 1933; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1896; J A Wilson 1937

The apse of this church, built by the Opifards or Morays, would have become inadequate by 1398, hence the new choir addition. Many other stones were found, including several grave slabs.

Collegiate Church of Bothwell, dedicated to St Bride (and similar information as above) probably founded in the 12th century in view of recent discoveries (see preceding information). Oldest stone in the churchyard bears the date '1422'-8 others date from 1600-1700.

J Waddell 1904; J H Pagan 1892

"St Bride's Church: Bothswell. The Choir of this church is the oldest visible structure, and dates from the 14th century. The whole building is of interest because of the discovery of its 12th century foundations. Numerous of the Norman stones referred to by Waddell can be seen both inside and outside the church. Also within the church are some 12th and 13th century grave slabs. The stone referred to by Pagan was not seen, although there are many ancient grave-stones in the churchyard. The nave is of 19th century works, and the Choir-although considerably renovated-still retains its Gothic features. The whole church is in use today for public service. No evidence of this having been a nunnery was encountered during the investigation.

Visited by OS (JLD) 9 September 1953

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