Building record MAB38310 - ARBIRLOT PARISH CHURCH
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Summary
Former Parish Church, no longer in ecclesiastical use, built on the site of a probable earlier church or settlement.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 4592
- Listed Building (C) 4592
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NO 6016 4055 (55m by 58m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NO64SW |
| Civil Parish | Arbirlot |
| Authority | Angus |
Type and Period (14)
- GRAVE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Memorial (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCH (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Graveyard (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- VAULT (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- PLAQUE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- HEARSE HOUSE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- MONASTERY? (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- HOUSE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- BELL (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Belfry (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- Memorial (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GRAVE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCH (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
Full Description
Former Parish Church, no longer in ecclesiastical use, built on the site of a probable earlier church or settlement. The church was given to Arbroath Abbey (NO64SW0018) by the Bishop of St. Andrews in his Diocese, and it was dedicated to St Ninian. Little information is known about the pre-Reformation church building. It is possible that it was a monastic site in the early 13th century, although sources are not definitive. The church was built in 1832, with further alterations made in 1886. It is a gothic cruciform building, surrounded on all sides by a graveyard. It is built of red sandstone, with ashlar surrounds and quoins, and the roofs are slated. It is oriented East-West and has a nave, transepts, and a porch on the West and East gables. There is a spired belfry with a bell dated 1655. At the South-East of the graveyard is a hearse house. It is a small oblong structure, constructed at an uncertain date of rubble with slate roof. It was sealed and formed into burial vault in 1928. The church contains a war memorial plaque and stained glass window on the North wall. A World War I stone memorial tablet is set into an exterior wall, unveiled 3 September 1922, is inscribed ‘THIS WINDOW AND TABLET ARE DEDICATED TO THE FALLEN SOLDIERS OF ARBIRLOT IN PROUD AND GRATEFUL MEMORY 1914-1918’, with the names in four columns below. Within the churchyard are two war graves. A full transcription of memorial is held in the AAS Digital Archive. A medieval sculpted stone was recovered from the old church foundations when the present church was being built, and it is now in the grounds of the manse to the South (NO64SW0069). Within the churchyard are two Second World War Commonwealth war graves.
Period Notes
Built in 1832 with alterations in 1886, on the site of a possible Medieval structure. Listed on 11/06/1971.
GR/06/AG/035/18-23/WM, GR/06/AG/035/18-23/WM (Ground Photograph). SAB28463.
NSA, 1845, [Untitled], Vol.11 (Forfar), 334-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6298.
Stuart, J, 1867, 2, Vol.2, 3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB9890.
Warden, A J, 1880-5, [Untitled], Vol.2, 365-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB10185.
MacKinlay, J M, 1914, [Untitled], 30 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6399.
Simpson, W D, 1935, [Untitled], 54 (Bibliographic reference). SAB9852.
Hay, G, 1957, [Untitled], 244 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11887.
WILSON, E M, 1966, ASPECTS OF ANTIQUITY. ABERTAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION NO. 11, p.11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3467.
Cowan, I B, 1967, Scot Rec Soc 93, 7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11667.
Cowan and Easson, I B and, 1976, [Untitled], 52 (Bibliographic reference). SAB11690.
Adams, D G, 1984, [Untitled], 10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB8055.
Sep 14 2013 , AAS-GR-13-09-381 - 438, AAS-GR-13-09-381 - 438 (Ground Photograph). SAB35313.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ANG;
- HES Listed Building Number: 4592;
- NMR Card Number: NO64SW7;
- NRHE Numlink: 35633;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NO64SW0007;
External Links (3)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB4592 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB4592 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/35633 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (12)
- --- SAB10185 Bibliographic reference: Warden, A J. 1880-5. [Untitled]. Vol.2, 365-6.
- --- SAB11667 Bibliographic reference: Cowan, I B. 1967. Scot Rec Soc 93. 7.
- --- SAB11690 Bibliographic reference: Cowan and Easson, I B and. 1976. [Untitled]. 52.
- --- SAB11887 Bibliographic reference: Hay, G. 1957. [Untitled]. 244.
- --- SAB28463 Ground Photograph: GR/06/AG/035/18-23/WM. Black & White. GR/06/AG/035/18-23/WM.
- --- SAB3467 Bibliographic reference: WILSON, E M. 1966. ASPECTS OF ANTIQUITY. ABERTAY HISTORICAL SOCIETY PUBLICATION NO. 11. p.11.
- --- SAB35313 Ground Photograph: Sep 14 2013 . AAS-GR-13-09-381 - 438. Digital. AAS-GR-13-09-381 - 438.
- --- SAB6298 Bibliographic reference: NSA. 1845. [Untitled]. Vol.11 (Forfar), 334-5.
- --- SAB6399 Bibliographic reference: MacKinlay, J M. 1914. [Untitled]. 30.
- --- SAB8055 Bibliographic reference: Adams, D G. 1984. [Untitled]. 10.
- --- SAB9852 Bibliographic reference: Simpson, W D. 1935. [Untitled]. 54.
- --- SAB9890 Bibliographic reference: Stuart, J. 1867. 2. Vol.2, 3.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Nov 17 2025 3:31PM
