Archaeology Notes

Event ID 703298

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/703298

NS46NW 14.00 41002 67077

NS46NW 14.01 NS 4100 6706 Tomb

(NS 4100 6706) Church (NAT)

OS 6" map (1970)

Church (NAT) Part of St Peter's (NR)

OS 6" map (1857)

Houston parish church, which was dedicated to St Peter, was originally built before 1220-32, when it was confirmed to the monks of Paisley. "The present building, a Memorial Church to Captain Speirs of Elderslie, MP, was built in 1875 on the site of one built in 1775" (W W Lyle 1975). Part of the east wing of the latter church, used as the Session House, was made from the remains of an earlier church, in Gothic style, with walls over 4.0ft thick. The floor of this part was raised 6ft to 8ft above the floor level of the church; the remains of many of the Houston family were buried under it.

Name Book 1856; Orig Paroch Scot 1851

The church is still in use. There are no signs of earlier work.

Visited by OS (EGC) 7 July 1964

Though the church itself is listed Category 'C' the two medieval recumbent effigies within it, of a knight and lady, which dates to about 1456 (described by MacGibbon and Ross) are listed 'A' Category.

HBD Nos 7, 8; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897