Archaeology Notes
Event ID 723585
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/723585
NX04NE 1 08014 48389
Kirkmadrine Church (NR)
OS 6" map (1909)
(NX 0801 4839) Ch. (NAT)
OS 6" map (1957)
A modern church now occupies the site of the parish church of the old parish of Toskerton now generally called Kirmadrine, which was united to Stoneykirk in 1618. The old church was dedicated to St Medran of Muskerry and belonged to Whithorn Priory.
Watson, however, considered that the dedication was to someone of the name, perhaps of Draigne or Drine. Radford suggests that the site was a place of importance, probably a monastery (published as such by the OS) in the early Christian period, as three 5th-6th century gravestones, which were noted by Todd in 1820 as standing in the burial ground surrounding the church, were later found two acting as gateposts to the burial ground while the third had been moved to form a gate-pillar of the Stoneykirk U F Church Manse. Other fragments of stones dating between the 8th-12th centuries have also been found at various times in the churchyard.
There is no sign at all, either from the air or on the ground, of any form of enclosed cemetery of early type at Kirkmadrine and it is supposed that the original position of the stones was elsewhere in the neighbourhood (see NX13NW 24). Stones under guardianship.
C A R Radford and G Donaldson 1953; H E Maxwell 1917; A C Thomas 1968
H Scott 1917; OS Dark Ages map 1965; R G Collingwood 1939; W J Watson 1926
The three 5th/6th century gravestones, together with fragments of several 8th-12th century cross slabs and gravestones, are in the porch of the church, which is no longer in use.
Visited by OS (RD) 9 September 1970
This church, which served the medieval parish of Toskerton, stood within its walled burial-ground on a low rise 410m S of South Cairnweil farmsteading. The site is occupied by a burial-aisle of the MacTaggarts of Ardwell which incorporates some earlier masonry, most noticeably at the E end, and may preserve the ground-plan of the former church (the aisle measures 12.7m by 5.6m within walls 0.9m thick).
Three Early Christian inscribed stones, and five cross-fragments which range in date from the 8th to the 12th century, found on, or near, the site, are displayed in the porch at the W end of the aisle.
The parish of Toskerton was united with Stoneykirk parish in 1618.
NSA 1845; Name Book; J Stuart 1867; A Mitchell 1872; G Chalmers 1887-1902; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; P H M'Kerlie1906; RCAHMS 1912; 1985, visited 1984; H E Maxwell 1917; R G Collingwood1938; W D Simpson 1940; I B Cowan 1967; C A R Radford and G Donaldson 1980.
