Archaeology Notes

Event ID 692956

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/692956

NO66NW 10.00 61733 65763

NO66NW 10.01 61744 65752 Parish Churchyard

For Stracathro Parish Manse (NO 6185 6541 and 6183 6537), see NO66NW 82.

(NO 6173 6575) Church (NAT)

(NO 6199 6581) Brawl's Well (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1959)

The modern parish church at Stracathro, built in 1799, occupies the site of its medieval predecessor, which was the church of the Chanter of Brechin Cathedral, and is described in 1799 as 'little better than a heap of ruins'. The alleged existence of a Celtic church here (Gilruth 1937) is based on the doubtful derivation of 'Brawl's' or 'St Brule's' Well from St Rule or Regulus. This was a healing well which was drained long before 1885 and the name is now lost. Two slabs, the larger being 8' to 9' long and 3' broad, lay to the north of the church in 1885.

They were traditionally said to cover two of the graves of three 'Danish generals'.

Statistical Account (OSA) 1792; J D Gilruth 1937; A J Warden 1880-5; Name Book 1860; G Hay 1957.

No early grave-slabs noted. At the site of the well is a natural spring running into a field drain. The site is thickly overgrown.

Visited by OS (J L D) 14 January 1958.

No further information regarding the medieval church. The modern church is still in use as is the burial ground which has been extended to the N. In the burial ground there are several 18th century grave stones. Two crude, prostrate slabs leaning against the church in the NE may be those referred to by Warden (1880-5). Brawl's Well is a natural spring emerging in a ditch.

Visited by OS (R L) 25 August 1971.