Field Visit

Date 27 January 1921

Event ID 1114559

Category Recording

Type Field Visit

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1114559

RCAHMS County Inventory: Midlothian and West Lothian

Parish Church, Glencorse.

On an eminence at the confluence of the Glencorse Burn and a tributary, rather less than half a mile north-west of Milton Bridge, is the ruin of Glencorse Church, which was built in the 17th century and served the parish until 1885, when it was superseded by the present modern church near Milton Bridge. The ruin is that of an orientated cruciform structure with a small, and relatively modern, central west tower capped with a timber spire. The transepts are 16 ¾ feet square and appear to have been added to an existing one-chambered structure, measuring externally 57 ¾ feet by 23 ¼ feet, to contain the ‘lairds' lofts’. They have under-crofts, but while the northern of these, now a burial place, is vaulted, the southern was ceiled in timber. The lofts are reached by well-proportioned forestairs on the west with parapets terminating in panelled pedestals; the doorways are simply moulded in the Renaissance manner. Flanking these entrances are moulded panel-spaces infilled with heraldic panels as follows:

NORTH LOFT, NORTH SIDE OF DOOR. The shield is charged with a chevron between three trefoils, and is supported by, dexter, a hound collared, and, sinister, a hawk jessed and belled. The shield is surmounted by a crudely executed mantling and helm, the latter wreathed and crested a tree with a child in the branches, i.e. ‘a naked boy pulling down the top of a green pine tree’ (Nisbet's Heraldry). Below this shield is a label inscribed, SVRGENDV(M) ADVERSVS VRGENTIA. The arms are those of Bothwell of Glencorse.

NORTH LOFT, SOUTH SIDE OF DOOR. Quarterly,1st and 4th, gyronny of eight, for Campbell of Argyll, 2nd and 3rd, a lymphad, on the honour point a crescent. The supporters are lions rampant. The shield is surmounted by a mantling and helm, the latter crowned and crested a boar's head couped, for Campbell of Argyll.* On a label below the shield is the motto: NE OBLIVISCARIS.

SOUTH LOFT, NORTH SIDE OF DOOR.-The shield is parted per pale and charged: dexter, on a chevron between three mascles three cinquefoils, on a canton the Royal Arms of Scotland, for Purves ; sinister, quarterly 1st and 4th, within a tressure flory-counter-flory a chevron, 2nd and 3rd, five fraises, at the honour point a crescent, for Fleming. Above the shield is a mantling and helm, the latter wreathed and with a cloud for crest. On a label below the shield is the motto VIVIT POST FVNERA VIRTVS, while a label above the crest bears a motto [CLARIOR] E TENEBRIS, for Purves.

SOUTH LOFT, SOUTH SIDE OF DOOR. The achievement has been removed and inserted above the entrance of the adjacent lodge of Glencorse House. The panel bears a shield parted per pale and charged; dexter, a chevron between three trefoils, and, sinister, quarterly, 1st and 4th, gyronny of eight, 2nd and 3rd, a lymphad, a crescent at the honour point. The shield is supported, dexter, by a hound collared, and, sinister, by a hawk jessed and belled, and is surmounted by a mantling and helm, the latter wreathed and crested a tree with a child in the branches. On a label below the shield is the motto: SET A STOUT HEART TO A STAY BRAE.

The church is built of rubble and has been harled. The voids of nave and chancel have chamfered arrises, but those of the transepts are moulded. The southern transept, the Woodhouselee loft, has in its south gable a circled window infilled with late tracery resembling two opposed and intertwined hearts; above the window is the date, 1699. From its construction the window, with the date, appears to have been inserted. The ruin is roofless, but has lately been repointed.

Above the western door is a panel inscribed: CVME LET VS CALL VPON [GO]D MOST HE (i.e. high) VNTO MY GOD THAT FOR ME THAI THINGIS FOR ME (sic). At the side are S. W. P. 1665, for Sir William Purves of Woodhouselee (cf. p. 73).

FONT. Within the modern church of Glencorse [see NT26SW 94] is preserved a font which is said to have come from the old church. It stands on a modern base and consists of a cube of local freestone 19 inches square by 17 inches high; a roughly executed angle-bead is its only ornament. The basin is circular, has a diameter of 13 ½ inches, and is 7 ¾ inches deep. The upper surface has, at each corner, an iron crampet for the font cover.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 27 January 1921.

*Mary Campbell (d . 1744) m. Henry Bothwell of Glencorse, Lord Holyroodhouse (d. 1735).