Publication Account

Date 1975

Event ID 1016210

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Publication Account

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016210

Abercorn is an ancient place. Today's quiet, secluded hamlet belies its former importance but the name itself betrays an early 'British' or 'Cumbric' presence' the homed river-mouth', probably referring to the promontory on which the church is sited, close to where the Midhope Bum meets the Firth of Forth.

Most of the surviving church is 16th century and later, with the north aisle and the belfrey rebuilt in 1893. Kirk (no. 54) The Hopetoun loft, Abercom Kirk (no. 54) . The building was reconstructed in 1579 and subsequently three burial aisles were added to the south side-the Duddingston aisle (1603), the Binns aisle (1618) and the Philipstoun enclosure (1727). The stylish and splendid Hopetoun Loft at the east end was fitted out in 1708 using the same wood-caler and architect as engaged for Hopetoun House (no. 30). William Eizat carved the elegant foliage and coronets; Sir William Bruce also designed the two-storey Hopetoun aisle on the north side. This had its own semi-circular forecourt and private drive from the House, its own private entrance and a retiral room above, communicating with the Loft Below is the family burial vault, whilst in the churchyard there are a number of good 17th-18th century gravestones, some with trade symbols associated with estate crafts and trades such as the gardener.

But Abercorn is more than simply an interesting post Reformation church. Insignificant in the south wall, sandwiched between the later burial aisles and not to be confused with the neo-Norman west doorway and arcade within, is an original blocked-up 12th century Norman doorway. It is a simple, small doorway to what was a two-cell church. The arch is decorated with shallowly-calVed chevrons whilst the tympanum, just below, carries a diamond or lozenge patterning. This tympanum is one of only two decorated examples known to survive in Scotland-that at Linton (NT 773262) in Roxburghshire has a figural relief unique in Scotland (as well as a fine Norman tomb).

Nothing survives of the even earlier Anglian monastery. But Christianity at Abercorn long pre-dates the Anglo-Normans. Bede writes that its bishop and monks fled to Whitby in AD 685 after the Pictish victory at Nechtansmere-thus confirming a see based on the site by the late 7th century. What do survive, however, are sections of standing crosses of Anglian design, presently sited just off the vestry. The predominance of abstract patterns (as opposed to carvings of human figures, birds and beasts), puts them well into the 8th century. And continuity of a Christian presence is further evidenced by two virtually complete hogbacked tombstones (and fragments of a third) of 11 th-12th century date. Their escalloped and square scaling imitates the shape of roof shingles or tiles (see section 6).

The importance of Abercorn in early Christian Scotland should not be underestimated, nor its vulnerable position for so long in a frontier zone between British, Pictish, Anglian and Scottish areas of interest.

Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders', (1985).