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Field Visit
Date 19 March 1928
Event ID 1098506
Category Recording
Type Field Visit
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1098506
St. Mungo's Chapel.
The main road from CuIross to Low Valleyfield passes through the remains of this chapel, which is situated below sharply rising ground a quarter of a mile east of Culross. The southern side of the building has in fact been removed to make way for a high boundary wall. Until 1926 little was visible, for the site was silted up, but in the latter part of that year excavation exposed the ground plan shown in [RCAHMS 1933] Fig. 177. The building has been two-chambered, while the semi-octagonal apse of the sanctuary and such architectural detail as is left are typical of the close of the 15th century, the approximate time of erection (1). The internal dimensions have been 20 feet from north to south by 55 feet 10inches from east to west, within walls 2 feet 8 inches in thickness. At the east end is the base of the altar which is raised two steps above the general level of the floor paving. Both steps have a quirked edge-roll. Traces of other altars, set against the screen-wall separating nave and chancel, were found in excavation but, through a fall of debris, they are not at present visible. The entrance, chamfered and rebated at the arris, is centred in the west gable. The north wall of the nave bears the under part of a stone bench. The external masonry is of ashlar, and the basement course has been a simple splay; the internal masonry is of coursed rubble.
STONE BOWL. Within the chancel lies a bowl of stone, roughly circular on plan, measuring 16 ½ inches in diameter by 12 ½ inches in height. The basin is 10 ½ by 11 inches deep. The workmanship is crude. It cannot definitely be said to be a font, the alternative explanation being that it is a "knockin' stane" or mortar for husking grain.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 19 March 1928.
(1) Reg. Mag. Sig., s.a., 1503, No. 2723: In 1503, Robert Blackadder, the first archbishop of Glasgow, founded a chapel in "the church of St. Kentigern" (St. Mungo), which he himself had built near the monastery of Culross. Blackadder occupied the diocese 1484-1508.
