St Cyrus Old Church
Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (Medieval), Well (Medieval)
Site Name St Cyrus Old Church
Classification Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (Medieval), Well (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) St Cyrus Nether Churchyard; Ecclesgreig
Canmore ID 36352
Site Number NO76SW 2
NGR NO 7450 6390
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/36352
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish St Cyrus
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Kincardine And Deeside
- Former County Kincardineshire
NO76SW 2 7450 6390
(NO 7450 6390) Church (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map (1959)
This is the site of Ecclesgreig (Ecclesia Cyrici - St Cyric's Church), dedicated 7th August 1242 (J C Watt 1914) and the parish church until 1632, when its successor (NO76SE 2) was built (at NO 7504 6477). Which St Cyrus is involved is not stated by Watson (1926) but he records a St Cyrus appearing as early as 885. St Cyrus is said to be buried in the churchyard (A Jervise 1853).
The site of the church was visible in 1875, at which time the burial ground was still in use (A Jervise 1875). There was a well dedicated to the saint near the church (H Scott 1925). A building supposed to be 'the residence of the minister in ancient times', which had been covered by sand, was uncovered by erosion some years before 1795 (Statistical Account [OSA] 1794).
The allegation that a priory existed at Ecclesgreig is based on the mention of the 'Abbey-lands of Eglesgrig' in a charter of William the Lion (1165-1214) (A Jervise 1875).
New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845; Name Book 1864.
No trace of a church within the burial ground, which is still in use.
No local information about the well.
Visited by OS (RL) 20 December 1967
Field Visit (October 1981)
St Cyrus 1, Old Parish Church and Burial-ground NO 745 639 NO76SW 2
The medieval parish church of Ecclesgreig stood within the burial-ground on the shore 1 km SSW of St Cyrus village. Although there was probably an ecclesiastical community here at an earlier date the church comes on record between 1172 and 1178, and went out of use in 1632. (See also NO76SE 2)
RCAHMS 1982, visited October 1981
(Stat. Acct., xi, 1794, 105-6; Jervise 1875-9, i, 36-9; Gilruth 1939, 45-9; Cowan 1967, 58; Cowan and Easson 1976, 48)
