Publication Account
Date 1985
Event ID 1016206
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016206
The ubiquitous dark green paintwork on the interesting range of vernacular house types confirms that Abbey St Bathan's is very much an estate village, built just above a ford on the Whiteadder Water. It is also the site of the ancient Cistercian monastery ofSt Botha founded in the later 12th century by Ada, countess of Dun bar. The last prioress, Elizabeth Lamb, disposed of the lands of Nunmeadow, Nunbutts and Nunflat to John Renton of Billie in 1558. Inside the church lies the effigy of a nun, apparently a prioress dressed in a full tunic, her hands joined in prayer and two veils over her head. There are also the remains of a crozier within her right arm-a rare example that confirms not only that priors used the crozier in addition to abbots, but some Cistercian prioresses too. The effigy is probably late 15th-early 16th century.
As to the church itsel, most is late 18th century; only the east wall with its late 14th century round-headed windows, and lower parts of the north wall remain from an earlier period, whilst the later flavour of Reformation and Presbyterianism is reflected in the wall-painted texts flanking the Table and window at the east end.
Just inside the entrance, a remarkably well-preserved early 18th century gravestone reflects well not just upon a contemporary minister, George Home, died 1705, but on the concern of his wife, Jean Hamilton, for the endowment after her death in 1719 of a school at Abbey St Bathan's.
Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders', (1985).
