Clynekirkton, Parish Church

NC80NE 17.00 89465 06074

(NC 8946 0607) Church (NAT) (remains of)

OS 6" map, (1964)

NC80NE 17.01 Pictish Symbol Stone

NC80NE 17.02 Pictish Symbol Stone

NC80NE 17.03 Cross-slab

For associated Clynekirkton, Belfry Tower and Old Parish Church (NC 8943 0612) and manse (NC 8947 0602), see NC80NE 18 and NC80NE 39 respectively.

The remains of the parish church of Clyne, built in 1770, enlarged in 1827, and abandoned in 1922. It was formerly T-plan but the N aisle has been removed. Of rubble, partly harled, the church is now (Information from HBD list) roofless and gutted. It stands on the site of its predecessor which was dedicated to an unknown saint, Aloyne, whose fair was still held in the early 17th century. This may have been the church which is on record between 1223 and 1245, and was repaired by Sir Robert Gordon between 1625 and 1626. According to Bain (1899) there was an early chapel at the 'Kille of Clyne', presumably this site, and that would explain finding of early sculptured stones in the area.

These include the head of a rectangular cross-slab, (NC80NE 17.3) with rounded top, of purple sandstone, which was found in 1877 built into the E gable of the church. It is 1ft high, 1ft 1ins wide and 3 1/2ins thick and bears a cross in relief on one side with square terminals and square-stepped 'armpits', decorated with spirals. The background shows key-pattern.

A Class I symbol stone, (NC80NE 17.1) located only to Clynekirkton, was found in 1855. It is of red sandstone and measures 4ft 3ins long, 1ft 11ins wide at the top, 1ft 7ins at the base and is 4 1/2ins thick. It bears on one face the crescent and V-rod and rectangular symbols, both patterned.

Another Class I symbol stone was found in the churchyard in 1868, but is said to have been taken from the 300ft terrace at Clynemilton Farm (NC 915 068). It is approximately rectangular, 4ft by 1ft 5ins by 2 1/2ins thick, and bears the crescent and V-rod, rectangular and mirror symbols. (NC 80 NE17.2) All three stones are in Dunrobin Museum (Accession nos: 1877.1, 1855.1, and 1869.8 respectively).

R Gordon 1813; J Stuart 1856; Name Book 1872; A Mackay 1894; R Bain 1899; J Anderson and J R Allen 1903; RCAHMS 1911; G Hay 1957; Information contain in TS of Catalogue of Dunrobin Museum by A S Henshall.

The church is de-roofed and only the nave and vestry stand.

Visited by OS (W D J) 1 July 1960.

(Clyne, Caithness). Assigned as part of the prebend of the dean of Caithness in the constitution of Bishop Gilbert, 1224x45. Both parsonage and vicarage fruits were annexed, while cure was served by a vicar pensioner.

I B Cowan 1967.

There is no evidence of the original church on the site. The three sculptured stones are still in Dunrobin Museum.

Visited by OS (J B) 24 November 1975.

Two class I symbol stones showing:

Clynekirkton 1: a crescent and V-rod over a rectangle

Clynekirkton 2: remains of a rectangle above a crescent and V-rod over part of a mirror.

A Mack 1997.