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Cockpen, Old Parish Church And Burial-ground

Burial Aisle (17th Century), Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (13th Century)

Site Name Cockpen, Old Parish Church And Burial-ground

Classification Burial Aisle (17th Century), Burial Ground (Medieval), Church (13th Century)

Alternative Name(s) Dalwolsy; Dalhousie Aisle; Old Cockpen Kirk

Canmore ID 53629

Site Number NT36SW 3

NGR NT 32677 63336

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53629

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Midlothian
  • Parish Cockpen
  • Former Region Lothian
  • Former District Midlothian
  • Former County Midlothian

Archaeology Notes

NT36SW 3 3267 6332.

(NT 3267 6332) Church (NR) (rems of)

OS 6" map (1967)

The ruined old parish church of Cockpen, which dates from the 13th century, is oblong on plan, 65 1/2' E-W by 14' within 3' thick walls. In the 17th century, galleries were placed at either end, with accesses, and the Dalhousie Aisle, now a burial place, was added to the N. A second, later burial place has been added E of this. A vestry, contemporary with the Dalhousie Aisle, projects from the W end of the S wall. A 17th century belfry surmounts the W gable of the church. Very little 13th century work is visible, but parts of the ashlar wall are untouched. The walls are still entire the church being dismantled about 1826 (Name Book 1853).

Also know as Dalwolsy, the church was granted to Newbattle Abbey by Patrick de Ramsay in 1356 (I B Cowan 1967).

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1896; RCAHMS 1929, visited 1915

As described above. The walls are much decayed and covered with thick vegetation.

Visited by OS (JLD) 7 September 1954

No change to previous field report.

Visited by OS (BS) 29 October 1975

Archaeolgical work at Cockpen Church was undertaken by AOC (Scotland) Ltd in advance of conservation of the building by Edinburgh Architects Simpson & Brown for Midlothian District Council. Excavation to limited depths was conducted in six areas at the outer wall faces of the church and in two areas of the interior.

Excavation in the interior recorded demolition debris overlying an intact flagstone floor at the W end, and in the centre, remnants of several successive clay, mortar and stone floors. The foundations of a demolished primary W wall were recorded in the central cutting and in general, there is clear evidence that the present building not only incorporates many local modifications, but represents a westward extension of the church to twice its original length.

The external excavations recorded soil and rubble accumulations against the church walls with evidence of deep turbation by burials in the church environs. Previously unrecorded structural or built features were recorded in several areas. Remnants of stone-stairs were revealed to abut the N face of the church both at its mid-point and at the W end. Two parallel stone walls perpendularly abutted the S face of the church at either side of a blocked opening. A stone-built tomb was exposed at the W wall of the Dalhousie Aisle. A cutstone, chamfered plinth was revealed at the foot of both the S wall and the NE buttress.

The presence of graves was recorded both in the church environs and in the interior. The internal burials are likely to represent a hiatus in the use of the church for formal worship in the late medieval period. In general, inhumations in all areas lay below the limits of excavation, and although numerous graves were identified, only three were excavated.

Finds included several fragments of disturbed and disarticulated human skeletal remains, assorted iron nails, coffin fittings, a window bar, a lead came fragment, clay pipe stems, several coins or tokens, miscellaneous fragments of window glass and a few sherds of both medieval and modern pottery.

Evidence for some form of pre-church settlement was recorded in the form of rubble and midden material sealed by a buried topsoil layer.

Sponsor: Simpson & Brown Architects for Midlothian District Council.

J O'Sulliven 1993; MS/830/1.

Architecture Notes

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Scottish Record Office:

Building of a loft in Cockpen Church.

Sir James Muuray is to be allowed to put up a loft on the North wall fronting the pulpit.

Letter from Alexander Robertson, W.S.

1766 GD 45/14/480

The Dalhousie vault in the old kirkyard. A letter from W Stewart concerns the repair of the vault and the erection of a monument. It accompanies a sketch plan.

1870 GD 45/14/761

Activities

Field Visit (27 July 1915)

Old Parish Church, Cockpen.

The ruined parish church of Cockpen, which dates from the 13th century, is situated within the churchyard on the right bank of the South Esk, rather more than a mile south of Dalhousie Station. On plan it is a single-chambered oblong structure, that lies almost east and west, and measures 65 ½ by 14 feet within ashlar walls 3 feet thick.

In the 17th century the interior arrangements were altered by the provision of galleries at either end with accesses there to, and by the addition on the north of a projecting aisle, which is now a burial place; east of this a second and later burial place has been added. A vestry, contemporary with the north aisle, projects from the west end of the south wall and communicates with the church by a doorway with a semicircular head. A 17th-century belfry surmounts the west gable of the church.

Very little of the 13th-centurywork is actually visible, but portions of the ashlar walls are untouched. The east gable was lit by two tall, pointed lancets, the northern of which remains; its lower part, which was glazed, is narrower than the upper, which was shuttered. At the eastern angles are buttresses without intakes and of slight projection, terminating at wall-head level in weathered offsets. The lateral walls have been pierced by lancet windows; these have been built up and replaced by larger windows with lintels. The ruin is in an unsatisfactory condition, although the walls are entire.

TOMBSTONE. Against the south wall, beside the central door, is a stone that measures 2 feet by 1 ¼ feet by 4 inches; on this is carved a cross-patty with an apparently later and comparatively modern inscription, of which only the beginning, ‘Here lyes’, is legible.

RCAHMS 1929, visited 27 July 1915.

Field Visit (26 March 2010 - 30 March 2010)

A desk-based assessment and walkover survey was carried out in advance of a proposed development at Redheugh, near Gorebridge, Midlothian. The study area included a well-preserved 19th century courtyard farm (Redheugh) and an upstanding stretch of the Edinburgh-Dalkeith Railway (Arniston Branch).

It also incorporated, along its western edge, the former site of the Prestonholm Mill. Founded in the late eighteenth century, the Prestonholm Mill had once represented an extensive flax mill with mill buildings and a number of ancillary structures which would have included workers’ accommodation. Also associated with the site was Prestonholm House (NMRS NT36SW 137).

A ‘subterranean passage’ recorded in the NMRS in the vicinity seems likely to have been a lade or culvert associated with the mill – a similar feature is shown on Roy’s Map of 1747-55, suggesting that the there had been an earlier mill structure here prior to the founding of the flax mill.

The mill buildings may have been demolished following their acquisition by the Earl of Dalhousie in the late nineteenth century Since that time, late twentieth century coal mining activities and subsequent landscaping appear to have obliterated all trace of the earlier structures, though a dump of worked stone near the site of Prestonholm House could still be seen and an isolated stretch of walling was identified elsewhere.

Two structures (Rathmell S4 and S5) were recorded to the N of the location of Prestonholm Mill. S4 was described as a low rectangular feature measuring roughly 28m by 19m in extent overlain by a large bund at the W side. It survives as an earthen bank upstanding to a height of 0.4m. S5 was described as the remnants of a stone structure, comprising short length of walling measuring 6m in length and upstanding to a height of 0.6m. It had been rebuilt in recent times in places. At this location on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map are two roofed structures within two small enclosures. Although in the report they are suggested to be modern features, due to their location and the associated structures visible on the map, it is likely these are 18th century structures associated with the nearby mill.

A rectilinear structure or enclosure measuring 64m by 15m in visible extent, represented by low, grass-covered footings was recorded (S17). It occupies a terraced platform and may represent the precursor of Redheugh farmsteading, shown on Thomson’s map of 1832.

Information from Thomas Rees and Louise Turner (Rathmell Archaeology), 20th April 2010

OASIS ID: rathmell1-74951

References

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