Building record MAB40921 - ST PALLADIUS' CHAPEL, AUCHENBLAE

Remains of medieval chapel dedicated to St Palladius, and Class II Pictish cross-slab ('The Fordoun Stone').

Remains of medieval chapel dedicated to St Palladius, and Class II Pictish cross-slab ('The Fordoun Stone'). The present building, partly a 19th century restoration, is a plain, single-storey building of red sandstone whose roof was removed circa 1928. The east gable is probably the oldest part dating to the close of the 15th Century. An aumbry in the north door dates from the first half of the 17th century. It is also believed that the south wall was largely rebuilt and the arched rectangular windows inserted in the 17th century. The chapel is mentioned in the records of the Priory of St Andrews for the 12th Century, but only as a chapel. It was dedicated as a church in the 13th Century by Bishop David. A recess at the east end of the chapel was traditionally a shrine for holding the bones of St Palladius but it was more probably a recess tomb. In front of this recess is the Glenfarquhar or Falconers Vault, and in the north west corner of the chapel is the Monboddo burial place. There is a documentary reference to use of the Chapel as a joiners’ workshop in the 19th century. When the pulpit of the church (which may have been on the site of the present 19th century church NO77NW0103) was being dismantled in 1787, workmen found a Class II Pictish cross-slab which had been used as base of the pulpit. Formerly within the Chapel, it was moved to the Parish Church in 1966. It is an upright of red sandstone, sculptured partly with incised lines and partly low relief, inscribed in Hibero-Saxon minuscules 'PIDARNOIN'. It bears a cross with interlaced-work of Stafford knots and part of a fish-monster on the top arm of the cross with a horseman on the bottom arm. It also bears two other horsemen in a hunting scene and a double disc and Z-rod, the discs being ornamented with spiral work. This cross-slab was said to have been raised to commemorate the death of Kenneth III in 994 AD. Jervise records that during an 1872 restoration of the chapel workmen discovered a sculptured stone bearing a cross, sword and bow then being used as an inside lintel to the north door. Two cup-marked stones are built into the north wall. One has five cupmarks, four of which are linked into pairs by channels. They are partly obscured by gravestones. A drystone well at NO 7261 7833 is probably on the site of St Palladius' well. The medieval settlement of Fordoun, burgh of barony in 1554, was probably situated in the vicinity of the chapel. The chapel stands within the churchyard of the present church (NO77NW0103).

Period Notes
Mentioned in records 1183; dedicated as a church in 1244; cross-slab found 1872; de-roofed 1928. Cross-slab said to commemorate death of King Kenneth III in 994 AD.

STUART, J, 1856, SCULPTURED STONES OF SCOTLAND, LXVII (Bibliographic reference). SAB1800.

JERVISE, A, 1874, NOTICE OF ST PALLADIUS CHAPEL, AND OF A COFFIN-SLAB, AT FORDOUN PSAS 10(1872-4) 730-5, 730-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB902.

MENZIES, J, 1883, PSAS 17(1882-3) 423-6, 423-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1253.

MOLLYSON, 1893, PARISH OF FORDOUN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1170.

MACGIBBON, T, 1896, ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND 1, 468-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1141.

RHYS, 1899, PSAS 32(1898-99) 324-398, 347-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1545.

ALLEN, JR, 1903, EARLY CHRISTIAN MONUMENTS OF SCOTLAND 3, 201-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3.

MITCHELL, A, 1908, MACFARLANES GEOG COLL 1906-8, 267 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1155.

DIACK, FC, 1944, INSCRIPTIONS OF PICTLAND, 76 (Bibliographic reference). SAB366.

PRYDE, G. S., 1965, THE BURGHS OF SCOTLAND: A CRITICAL LIST, 60 No233 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1422.

COWAN, IB, 1967, THE PARISHES OF MED SCOT, 68 (Bibliographic reference). SAB242.

HISTORIC SCOTLAND, 2004, ST PALLADIUS CHURCH, AUCHENBLAE: HISTORIC BUILDINGS ARCHITECT'S REPORT, Architect's report (Bibliographic reference). SAB4414.

FRASER, I, 2008, THE PICTISH SYMBOL STONES OF SCOTLAND, pp22-3, no.21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2523.

Aug 3 2018 , AAS-GR-18-08-243 - 295 , AAS-GR-18-08-243 - 295 (Ground Photograph). SAB35661.

Jan 1 1982 , AAS/GR/82/CT66,70,74, AAS/GR/82/CT66,70,74 (Ground Photograph). SAB32590.

ABERDEENSHIRE COUNCIL, n.d., ABERDEENSHIRE'S HISTORIC KIRKYARDS: ST PALLADIUS' CHAPEL, FORDOUN PARISH KIRKYARD, AUCHENBLAE, Leaflet (Bibliographic reference). SAB5528.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, FORDOUN 3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., MEARNS LEADER, 06/08/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1252.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, XI(KIN) 66-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

RCAHMS, n.d., S KINC LIST, No139,223,248 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1512.

Sep 5 2021 , AAS-GR-19-09-001 - 003, AAS-GR-19-09-001 - 003 (Ground Photograph). SAB35243.

Sep 12 1984 , DB 34-37, DB 34-37 (Ground Photograph). SAB15689.

Sep 12 1984 , DC 6-9, DC 6-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB15690.

Sep 29 1993 , MN 2-5, MN 2-5 (Ground Photograph). SAB33363.

Record last edited

Sep 4 2024 1:42PM