Alva, St Serf's Parish Church
Church (Medieval), Church (19th Century), Church (17th Century), Date Stone (17th Century), Bell (17th Century)
Site Name Alva, St Serf's Parish Church
Classification Church (Medieval), Church (19th Century), Church (17th Century), Date Stone (17th Century), Bell (17th Century)
Alternative Name(s) St Serf's Church
Canmore ID 47058
Site Number NS89NE 14
NGR NS 88741 97324
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/47058
- Council Clackmannan
- Parish Alva
- Former Region Central
- Former District Clackmannan
- Former County Clackmannanshire
NS89NE 14.00 88741 97324
NS89NE 14.01 8873 9733 Hydraulic Engine
NS89NE 14.02 88733 97311 Churchyard
NS89NE 14.03 88692 97289 Manse
See also NS89NE 22.
(NS 8873 9733) Church on Supposed Site of St. Servanus' Church (NR)
OS 6" map (1924)
Into the west gable of the modern parish church (1815) is built a stone bearing the Bruce arms and 1631and 1637 the date of the predecessor of the present church. The church of Alva was granted to Cambuskenneth in 1260.
RCAHMS 1933; New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845
The present building appears to be entirely modern.
Visited by OS (FDC) 4 July 1950
NS89NE 14.00 88741 97324
NS89NE 14.01 8873 9733 Hydraulic Engine
NS89NE 14.02 88733 97311 Churchyard
NS89NE 14.03 88692 97289 Manse
REFERENCE - Scottish Record Office
Report on the condition of the church and a new petition to James Johnstone of Alva by the parishioners to give them a new church or repair the present one.
1815 GD 1/727/1
GD 1/727/2
Field Visit (2 May 1928)
Alva Church
(1) HERALDIC AND INSCRIBEDSTONES.- Into the west gable of the modern parish church is built a stone bearing the Bruce arms. On the upper part, flanking the shield, are the date 1631 and the initials A.B., for Alexander Bruce, who built the predecessor of the present church in that year (1). Above the western entrance of the church is inserted a lintel inscribed, REMEMBER / TO . KElP HOL[Y] THE . SABBOTH . DAY 1637.
(2) BELL. - The bell, now inaccessible, is said to be inscribed: "They who me giveth ar David Jenkin William Bell to Alva Kirk cursedbe that wretch who me preventeth from sacred use or else doth sell (2) Anno 1633." The measurements are said to be 20 ¼ inches high and 17 ½ inches across the mouth.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 2 May 1928.
(1) Stat. Acct., xviii, p. 138. The old dedication was to St. Serf. (2) If, as seems probable, "to Alva Kirk" follows "me giveth" in the original, we have a rhyming couplet or quatrain.
Field Visit (August 1977)
Alva Chruch NS 887 973 NS89NE 14 and 16
Traditional site of the medieval church of St Servanus; a new church was erected in 1631, and this was replaced in the 19th century by the present church of St Serf, which incorporates datestones of 1631 and 1637. There are no visible signs of any earlier church, but the graveyard contains stones of 17th-century date.
RCAHMS 1978, visited August 1977
(Stat. Acct. xviii, 1796, 137-9; RCAHMS 1933, No. 603)
