Monkton, Old Parish Church
Cemetery (Medieval), Church (Medieval)
Site Name Monkton, Old Parish Church
Classification Cemetery (Medieval), Church (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) St Cuthbert's Church
Canmore ID 41672
Site Number NS32NE 1
NGR NS 35809 27688
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/41672
- Council South Ayrshire
- Parish Monkton And Prestwick
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Kyle And Carrick
- Former County Ayrshire
NS32NE 1 35809 27688
(NS 3580 2758) Ch (NR) (rems of)
OS 6" map (1968)
St Cuthbert's Church (NR) (In Ruins)
OS 6" map (1908)
Monkton parish church, which was dedicated to St Cuthbert, was given to Paisley Abbey in 1163. It was in use till 1837, but is now roofless. It was originally a simple oblong, 46ft by about 20ft internally; these walls are undoubtedly ancient, but they have been considerably altered and a N wing was added after the Reformation; the belfry erected at that time still exists on the E gable. In the S wall is a round-arched doorway, with 13th century mouldings.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897
This is a plain, rectangular building with features as described above. The four walls and the N wing remain in a fair state of preservation.
Visited by OS (JLD) 11 May 1954
No change.
Visited by OS (JRL) 4 November 1980
NMRS REFERENCE:
1914
1925
Plans: at Darley Hay Partnership, Ayr.
Photographed on behalf of the Buildings of Scotland publications.
RCAHMS 2009
Field Visit (April 1985)
Monkton, Old Parish Church and Burial-ground NS 3580 2768 NS32NE 1
The roofless ruin of this medieval parish church stands within its walled burial-ground; it is rectangular on plan (13.8m by 5.6m within walls 1.1 m thick) and gable-ended, and has been subject to a number of structural changes including the shortening of the building at its E end. The oldest identifiable work is of early 13th-century date as evidenced by the richly moulded S doorway; the N doorway has been rebuilt and is lintelled with a medieval graveslab. The gables have chamfered offsets. During the 17th century the interior was remodelled; lofts were provided at both ends and a belfry was added on the
E gable. An aisle (now rebuilt as the Angus burial-aisle, measuring 4.45m by 4.15m internally) was subsequently added on the N. At the E end of the church there is a finely wrought graveslab bearing the date 1577 and a number of early 17th-century graveslabs are situated on the S. Between 1165 and 1172 the church, dedicated to St Cuthbert, was granted by Walter FitzAlan to the monastery at Paisley, and during the late 16th century the parish was united with Prestwick; the church was abandoned in 1837.
RCAHMS 1985, visited (IMS) April 1985.
(Stat Acct., xii, 1794, 394,395; NSA, v, Ayr, 169,170,172,176; Paterson 1863-6, i, 574-568, 571-2; Chalmers 1887-1902, vi, 505-6, 508; MacGibbon and Ross 1896-7, ii, 285-8; Hewat 1908, 40-1; Scott 1915-61, iii, 55; Cowan 1967, 150).
