Biggar Church
Collegiate Church (16th Century), Pillory (Post Medieval)
Site Name Biggar Church
Classification Collegiate Church (16th Century), Pillory (Post Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) St Mary's Church; Biggar Kirk
Canmore ID 48705
Site Number NT03NW 9
NGR NT 04047 37895
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/48705
- Council South Lanarkshire
- Parish Biggar
- Former Region Strathclyde
- Former District Clydesdale
- Former County Lanarkshire
NMRS REFERENCE:
NT03NW 9.00 04047 37895 Church
NT03NW 9.01 c. 04045 37924 Burial Ground
NT03NW 9.02 0403 3786 Gates and Gate-Piers
(NT 0404 3789). Biggar church is mentioned in 12th century charters. The present parish church, dedicated to St Nicholas, was erected in 1545 by Malcolm, Lord Fleming and endowed as a collegiate church. It is cruciform in plan.
In 1860, mention is made of the jougs on a buttress by the church door, and a staple on a buttress a few yards on the other side of the door, where the branks were probably attached.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1897; D E Easson 1957; J Drummond 1860.
The church is still in use. Only the chain of the jougs remains.
Visited by OS (RD) 19 July 1972.
NMRS REFERENCE
Society Antiquaries Scotland. Topographical Collection. - 1 Lithograph
Architect: David Bryce - restoration 1870-71
Measured Survey (2 September 2018 - 28 October 2018)
NT 04047 37896 A plane table survey at 1:100 scale was completed, 2 September-28 October 2018, to show the exact location of grave stones. These were first identified by Sheila Scott in 'The Upper Ward of Lanarkshire, Monumental Inscriptions pre-1855', 1977. This, in turn was based on the survey made by John Smith (National Library of Scotland MS 2238, Epitaphs St Mary's Churchyard, Biggar, 1916). A new database was created linking this survey to original and newly found inscriptions. Supplementary photographs were taken.
Archive: Biggar and Upper Clydesdale Museum
Brenda Dreghorn, Peter Dreghorn, David Drury, Bill Glass and Jim Ness - Biggar Archaeology
