Archaeology Notes

Event ID 714847

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/714847

NT27SW 3.00 20030 72776.

(NT 2004 7277) Church (NAT) Formerly St John's Collegiate Church (NR) 1429 (NAT)

OS 6"map, Edinburghshire, 1st ed., (1855)

NT27SW 3.01 20062 72724 War Memorial

NT27SW 3.02 20001 72786 Churchyard

NT27SW 3.03 20044 72734 Churchyard Extension

In 1128, Corstophine Church, then a dependent chapel of St Cuthbert's, was granted to Holyrood Abbey by David I. This chapel was a church before 1158. In this church were altars to the Holy Trinity and St Ann (mentioned in the latter part of the 15th century).

In the churchyard and adjoining the aforementioned church, a chapel dedicated to St John the Baptist was founded by Sir Adam Forrester, of Corstorphine (died pre- 1405). His son, Sir John Forrester, erected the chapel into a collegiate church pre-1436/7. An inscription in the church attributes the foundation to 1429. The foundation charter is no extant. Up to 1633 the collegiate church and parish church seem to have existed side by side. The collegiate church, however, was dissolved in 1634 and the collegiate building became the parish church in 1646 when the old parish church was removed and a new aisle, attached to the collegiate fabric, built apparently on the site of the old church.

H Scott (et al) 1915-61; I B Cowan and D E Easson 1976.

The modern parish church, except for its modern accretions, represents the old collegiate church. Its plan comprises a rectangular chancel, a nave less in width and height, transepts at the W end of the nave, and a tower surmounted by a low-set stone spire, beyond which a small porch extends to the main entrance. From the N wall of the chancel aisle and transept are modern: a drastic restoration was projects a two-storeyed revestry or sacristy. The N carried out in 1828, when the nave was largely rebuilt, the N transept and 17th century aisle were removed, and a new transept and aisle erected. Further restorative work has been done in recent times.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 1920.

This church, which is still is use, is generally as described.

Visited by OS (BS) 2 December 1975.

NT 2003 7277 A watching brief was completed in January and February 2004 during pipe trench works in the churchyard. Several stone floor slabs were lifted, and the ground beneath excavated. No archaeological features or artefacts were observed.

Archive to be deposited in the NMRS.

Sponsor: Irons Foulner Consulting Engineers.

R Inglis 2004