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Alyth, Old Parish Kirk Of St Moloc's
Burial Ground (Medieval), Chapel (Medieval), Church (Medieval)
Site Name Alyth, Old Parish Kirk Of St Moloc's
Classification Burial Ground (Medieval), Chapel (Medieval), Church (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Old Church Of Alyth; Saint Moluag's Church; St Molvag's Church
Canmore ID 30806
Site Number NO24NW 6
NGR NO 24478 48797
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/30806
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Alyth
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NO24NW 6.00 24478 48797.
NO24NW 6.01 NO 2452 4879 Wall; Watching Brief
(NO 2448 4879) Church (NR) (Ruins)
OS 25" map (1865)
For present parish church (at NO 2433 4875), see NO24NW 39.
The old church of Alyth, dedicated to St. Lugg (H Scott 1925), St Moloc (D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897) or St Molonoch (NSA 1845 - W Ramsay), was demolished c. 1845, having been ruinous for over 200 years.
The portion which still survives in the middle of the churchyard consists of the S arcade of the nave, probably 16th century, and part of the chancel, which is surrounded by a plain wall 6'-7' high and has a piscina in the S wall.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897
In 1727 the church was described as 49 1/2' broad, 50' long "abstracting from the quire" and "stands on two rows of pillars." (H Scott 1950).
The church was erected a prebend of Dunkeld by Bishop Thomas Lauder 1452 -76. The new church was built in 1839.
The remains of this church are as described and illustrated. The church was dedicated to St Moluag, a descendant of the King of Munster and originally his name was Leu or Lua. (J Meikle 1933)
Visited by OS (WDJ) 7 October 1970
NO 245 487 Repair work to a section of retaining wall around St Moloc's Church graveyard was likely to reveal buried human remains from two 18th-century graves. As the ground behind the wall remained stable after the wall was removed it was unnecessary to remove any soil. This meant that there was no disturbance to the cemetery ground. No artefacts were recovered.
Report to be lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Perth and Kinross Council.
C Mitchell 2001
EXTERNAL REFERENCE
SCOTTISH RECORD OFFICE:-
Plans (2), contract, letters and papers relating to the building of a new church, 1824-1849.
GD16/46/91.
Estimate for repair work on the church, 1790.
GD16/46/65.
Field Visit (March 1987)
About 120m ENE of the present parish church (built 1839) there are the remains of its predecessor, which occupied a terrace close to the centre of the burgh. The remaining fabric includes a portion of the N wall and aisle arcade measuring 25.4m long overall suggesting on plan, a church with square-ended choir, a nave and aisle(s) of three bays and a N aisle chapel or sacristy. The surviving but remodelled fragment of the N wall is probably medieval and incorporates a plinth, a blocked round-headed doorway and window-opening, and towards its E end, aumbries and a sacrament house; the aisle arcade is probably of the late 15th or 16th century. A skewput bearing an armorial escutcheon, and a lintel (dated 1629), are set in the wall of the burial-ground beside the N gate.
There are a number of 17th and 18th-century gravestones.
A church dedicated to St Molvag is on record by 1352. In 1727 it is said to have been '49 and 1/2 foot (15.09m) in breadth and 50 (15.24m) in length, abstracting from the Quire, and stands on two rows of pillars'.
No visible remains survive of a chapel dedicated to St Ninian that is alleged to have stood on the N side of the burial-ground.
Visited by RCAHMS (IMS) March 1987.
RCAHMS 1990
Measured Survey (25 February 1988)
RCAHMS surveyed the old parish church at Alyth on 23 June 1988, creating a 1:100 plan and 1:5 details of the capital and arch profiles. The resultant plan was redrawn in ink and published at a scale of 1:250 (RCAHMS 1990, Fig. 188A).
