Archaeology Notes

Event ID 711360

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/711360

NT18NE 10.00 19320 85468

(NT 1932 8546) St Fillan's Church (NAT) (AD 1178)

(NT 1937 8542) Well (NR) (site of)

OS 25" map (1964)

NT18NE 10.01 NT 1937 8542 Well

NT18NE 10.02 NT 193 854 Churchyard

Aberdour parish church, dedicated to St Fillan, was granted to Inchcolm Abbey in 1123-4 first mentioned in 1178. Aisles were added in the 16th and 17th centuries, when alterations were also made. A new church was built at Wester Aberdour in 1796-8, and this church left roofless until 1925-6 when it was restored, services being resumed in the latter year. St Fillan's Well, also referred to as "Pilgrims' Well", nearby, was visited by pilgrims (see NT18NE 14). This is probably the same well as the one, now filled up, which was situated 30 yds SE of the SE corner of the old churchyard, and was visited at the end of the 18th century by people with eye troubles.

W Ross 1862; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887; H Scott (Fasti Eccles) 1925; RCAHMS 1933, visited 1928; H Scott 1950; M R Apted 1966.

St Fillan's Church is still in use. The site of the well, at NT 1937 8542, was pointed out by the custodian of Aberdour Castle who stated that it was probably a spring as it still issues at certain times.

Visited by OS (AC), 11 March 1959

No change to previous field report.

Visited by OS (BS), 17 December 1975

Built into the E wall of the porch of the church at Aberdour, is part of a carved stone, possibly a cross base on which the lowest postion (probably feet or foot and tail) of interlaced animal decoration is carved in relief.

(Slide and sketch with FAI: FAI No. 70/9/1).

E Proudfoot and B Proudfoot 1987.