Archaeology Notes

Event ID 729627

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/729627

NX68SW 2 62495 81381

(NX 6248 8138) St John's Chair (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map (1909)

St John's Chair: A tolerable sized smooth bluish natural stone, most probably brought from the bed of the Water of Ken. Its shape is similar to a chair and it is traditionally said that it was used by St John, or more likely one of his followers. It formerly belonged to the old church, but has been moved from there to its present position (Name Book 1849). M'Kerlie notes this stone as a holy water basin "with the hollows for water quite perfect" (The old church of Dalry was dedicated to St John). The ONB, however, also describes a font stone in the churchyard, so it is possible that M'Kerlie has confused the two.

OSA 1794; E M H M'Kerlie 1916

NX 6249 8138. This stone has been placed against a hedge at the junction of two roads near to its original site. The font stone mentioned by M'Kerlie is still in the churchyard.

Visited by OS (JP) 18 June 1975.