Publication Account
Date 1987
Event ID 1016895
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016895
Leuchars Church is possibly the finest Romanesque church in Scotland, dramatically sited on a mound in the centre of the village. It appears to have been erected between 1183 and 1187 and was dedicated by Bishop Bernham in 1244. Only the chancel and apse survive of the original building, a new nave having been added in the 19th century. The chancel is almost square and the chancel arch is off-centre. This is further accentuated by the nave being off-set to the north. The apse is vaulted and the original timber roof was removed in the 17th century and replaced by an octagonal bell-turret surmounted by a lead weather-vane. The wall-heads are brought forward on corbels carved with heads of monsters, oxen, rams and human grotesques.
The church was rather crudely altered in the 17th century when new windows were slapped through the blind arcading of the chancel. The wall-head of the nave of the 17th century was lower than the wall-head of the chancel. These alterations were recorded in a sketch by David Roberts, RA, in 1831. The restoration of the church was carried out by Dr Reginald Fairlie. He also appears to have heightened the belfry, changing the plan form of the upper section and reforming the vault There has been considerable discussion as to whether the bell-turret should be removed and replaced by a more conventional timber roof. This would be counter-productive as much of the charm of this small building is derived from the unorthodox juxtaposition of elements from various periods.
There are some fine 16th century tombstones in the graveyard.
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Fife and Tayside’, (1987).
