Archaeology Notes

Event ID 679731

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/679731

NO02SE 13.00 05201 23397

See also NO02SE 40.

The parish church of Tibbermore was dedicated to St Mary, and there was here a Well of St Mary. Tibbermore was a mensal parish of the Bishop of Dunkeld.

H Scott 1915-61.

Built 1632, enlarged 1810 and refurnished c. 1880.

OSA 1796; NSA 1845; G Hay 1957.

Tibbermore (Dunkeld, Fife and Strathearn) - St Mary. In origin, an oratory of the bishops of Dunkeld who possessed an episcopal residence in this parish by the time of Bishop Geoffrey (1236-49), this church became the church of the parish when that of St Serf (alias Pitcairn) fell into disuse. The church was a mensal church of the bishopric of Dunkeld in the early 16th century, and as it was already a vicarage by 1274, it is apparent that the appropriation dates from at least the early 13th century, when the episcopal residence was established. With the restoration of St Serf's by Bishop George Brown, a seperate vicarage was established for that church, the parsonage revenues of the whole continuing with the bishops, while Tibbermore continued to be served by a vicar perpetual.

I B Cowan 1967.

The parish church of Tibbermore stands on a shallow N-facing slope overlooking the valley of the Pow Water. The building is a simple rectangle on plan with an aisle on the N side and some later accretions. The W gable, the S skew of which is crow-stepped, is surmounted by a pinnacled birdcage bellcote; the bell has been removed. A fragment of re-used moulding is visible at the foot of an external stair on the E wall of the N aisle, A second fragment is built into the N wall of the stair. The church is disused, but, although neglected, it still retains its wooden furnishings. The kirkyard contains numerous 18th-century stones, and also a slab dated 1699. The E gateway, which is equipped with substantial masonry piers, bears the date 1731.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS, IF), 24 October 1995.