Kennethmont, Christ's Kirk Of Rathmuriel

NJ62NW 7 6056 2680

(NJ 6056 2680) Christ's Kirk on the Green (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

For adjacent farmhouse and steading of Christskirk, see NJ62NW 61.

For present parish church of Kennethmont (NJ 5448 2887), see NJ52NW 48.

Not to be confused with Kennethmont, St Alkmund's Parish Church (NJ 5400 2948), for which see NJ52NW 5.

In 1245 the lands of Rathmuryel were granted to the Abbey of Lindores, and the Kirk of Rathmuryell or Rathmuriel, is mentioned in 1258 and

1275 (Jervise 1875-9). The church was given to the Abbey before 1195 according to Simpson (1949). The name Christ's Kirk is mentioned in 1574, and had been applied to both the church and the distirct at least since the early 15th century. The parishes of Rathmureal and Kennethmont were united in or about 1630.

The ruins of the church measure internally about 26yds (23.8m) E-W by 12 yards (11m) N-S: the burial ground, containing two grave slabs, inscribed 1716 and 1767, was in intermittent use in 1829 (Jervise 1875-9).

Until about 1758-9 (OSA 1791-9) an annual fair, called Christ's fair or The Sleepy Market, was held at night on the green which encircles the church, and is traditionally associated with the celebrated ballad of Christ's Kirk on the Green, commonly ascribed to James I.

The priest's Well is in the same locality as the church (Jervise 1875-9) A Jervise 1875-9; Statistical Account (OSA) 1791-9; H Scott et al 1915-61; W D Simpson 1949.

The remains of this church, locally known as Christ's Kirk, comprise wall footings c.22.5m long, c. 7.5m wide and c.0.3m high. The farmer at Christkirk says that some of the stone from the church was used in building the farm outbuildings. The disused graveyard is enclosed by a tumbled stone wall and only the 1767 gravestone remains. There are a number of wells on the farm of Priestwells (NJ 61 26), none of which has any particular significance.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RL) 4 March 1969.

Christ's Kirk [NR]

(remains of) [NAT]

OS 1:10,000 map, 1982.

The remains of the parish church of Rathmuriel lie in an overgrown copse of pine and beech immediately NE of the former farmsteading of Christskirk (NJ62NW 61). The church measures at least 12.5m from ESE to WNW by 7.3m transversely over walls that have been reduced to mounds of grass-grown rubble 2m in thickness and up to 0.5m in height. The burial-ground is subrectangular on plan and is enclosed by a substantial dry-stone dyke. The sole gravestone now visible within it lies to the S of the church, and is a slab bearing the date 1767 and depicting the figure of Death standing upon a sphere with a scythe and hour-glass in his outstretched arms.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS, IF), 2 April 1996.

Scheduled as 'Christ's Kirk, Kennethmont... the partly exposed, but mainly grass-covered, foundations and collapsed rubble-built lower walls of the parish church of Rathmuriel.'

Information from Historic Scotland, scheduling document dated 13 December 2006.