Methven Aisle

NO02NW 9 0255 2602.

(NO 0255 2602) Church (NR)

OS 6" map (1959)

A collegiate church was established at Methven in AD 1433 (G A Cooke 1802). The college consisted of five chaplains and four boy choristers, under a provost. It was probably established in a pre-existing churchyard. In 1516 there was a 'new erection' of which nothing is known (D E Easson 1957). Only an aisle remains (New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845 [T Clark]).

NSA 1845; M E C Walcott 1874; D E Easson 1957.

All that remains of the original collegiate church is the north transept at NO 0255 2602. The present church was built in 1783. There was a church at Methuen, consecrated by Bishop de Barham AD 1247, but its site is not known, unless it formed part of the collegiate church (plan in church vestry).

Visited by OS (JTT) 26 October 1965

The appearance of clerks of Methfyn in a quit claim of 1214 x 23 would seem to indicate the existence of a minster at Methven shortly before this date.

I B Cowan letter to D E Easson 1964, 28.

Methven (St Andrews, Gowrie) was erected as a collegiate church in 1433 at the instigation of Walter, earl of Athole, the entire fruits of the church were devoted to upkeep of provost and chaplains while the cure was to become a vicarage pensionary. In essence this arrangement continued, although it was apparently slightly modified in a new erection c. 1516. A vicar, who was also a prebendary, appears thereafter, although the provost still held both parsonage and vicarage teinds, and the cure remained a vicarage pensionary.

I B Cowan 1967