Restenneth Priory , Scotland

**bjproc** · 9th January 08, 06:11 PM

I thought you'd like to see the oldest priory in Scotland (i'm sure), i grew up a 10 minute walk from here.

Restenneth Priory

Address, Restenneth Library, Forfar, Angus

Condition Remains of walls
HS Status Scheduled Ancient Monument
Current use Site only
Dedication St Peter: Biblical apostle. Born in Bethsaida, Lake Genesareth (date unknown). Died Rome, Italy (date unknown). St Peter
Denomination Organisation Current?
Early Foundation No
Augustinian Canons No
Pre-Reformation Church of Scotland No

Events Date(s) Event type Notes
710-1161 Founded Nechtan; Malcolm IV
After 1100s Built Augustinian priory
1243 Built New church dedicated by David de Bernham

Notes
The ruined priory of Restenneth stands in the centre of the ancient kingdom of the picts, and its foundation may date to this period. Interestingly, there are no carved Pictish stones from the site. Malcolm IV granted the church to the canons of Jedburgh in 1161-1162, and it bacame a priory. In 1243 Restenneth was dedicated to St Peter by David de Bernham, Bishop of St Andrews. The church was damaged in the Wars of Independence.

The site stands on a promontory that originally projected into the now-drained Restenneth Moss. The remains comprise an early tower and the ruins of a 12th or 13th century Augustinian priory.

The tower sits awkwardly within the church and clearly is of an earlier date. It is square, stands to the wallhead and has a 17th century stone spire. It stands at an impressive 14m, not including the later spire, and has similarities to St Rule's Church (St Regulus' Church), St Andrews, and appears to date to the same period. The lowest part of the tower, to the left of the arch over the opening is sometimes described as Anglo-Saxon, shown by the technique of using large slabs set on edge. The south door survives intact, with the characteristic long and short jambs and solid lintel into which the arch was cut. The other openings have been remodelled to enlarge them, but these too are early work. The different forms of masonary used in its construction show that the tower was built and altered at different times. While Anglo-Saxon architecture is normally dated to the 8th-9th centuries, some scholars date the lowest courses of the tower to the 11th century. However, there is a context for the church possibly being of an earlier date than this; other scholars argue that this could be the remains of the church built for Nechtan, King of the Picts, who sent to Monkwearmouth, Jarrow, for masons to build a stone church in around 710 AD. As there have been no excavations, it is not yet possible to use archaeological evidence to clarify the position.

The walls of the choir, attached to one side of the tower (the nave was attached to the other) are fairly intact and are a good example of early 13th century ecclesiastical architecture. Part of the choir was made into a family burial place by one of the priory's pos-Reformation owners, George Dempster of Dunnichen.

these are not my pictures