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<< Our Photo Pages >> Kirkmadrine Church Stones - Early Christian Sculptured Stone in Scotland in Dumfries and Galloway

Submitted by Anonymous on Saturday, 16 October 2004  Page Views: 14194

Early Medieval (Dark Age)Site Name: Kirkmadrine Church Stones Alternative Name: Toskerton Old Parish Church; South Carnweil Kirk
Country: Scotland County: Dumfries and Galloway Type: Early Christian Sculptured Stone
Nearest Town: Stranraer
Map Ref: NX0801448389
Latitude: 54.793539N  Longitude: 4.987833W
Condition:
5Perfect
4Almost Perfect
3Reasonable but with some damage
2Ruined but still recognisable as an ancient site
1Pretty much destroyed, possibly visible as crop marks
0No data.
-1Completely destroyed
4 Ambience:
5Superb
4Good
3Ordinary
2Not Good
1Awful
0No data.
2 Access:
5Can be driven to, probably with disabled access
4Short walk on a footpath
3Requiring a bit more of a walk
2A long walk
1In the middle of nowhere, a nightmare to find
0No data.
4 Accuracy:
5co-ordinates taken by GPS or official recorded co-ordinates
4co-ordinates scaled from a detailed map
3co-ordinates scaled from a bad map
2co-ordinates of the nearest village
1co-ordinates of the nearest town
0no data
5

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Anne T visited on 17th Jun 2019 - their rating: Cond: 3 Amb: 3 Access: 4 Kirkmadrine Old Church & Early Christian Stones: Now this site I was so looking forward to seeing, but in some ways it was the most disappointing. As we arrived at the foot of the grassy lane to the church, the heavens opened, and my, did it pour. Thankfully, we were sheltered to some extent by the trees on either side of the lane. Eventually, we came to the gate into the churchyard, with the cross on a mound to our right, and the church to our left. The stones were displayed behind glass at the exterior western end of the church. To even see the stones we had to wipe the rain from the glass with a handkerchief. Unfortunately, raindrops had leaked behind the glass, affecting the clarity of our view of the stones. In addition, the light at this time of evening (around 5pm) was bouncing off the glass, and trying to photograph the most impressive, and oldest, stone at the back left hand side (northern) side of the display proved virtually impossible, despite the UV filter, because the reflections of the trees in the glass were too strong. I tried photographing from various angles, but to no real effect. I went away really disappointed, as these stones are really impressive and I wanted to see more. I did contact Canmore with a photograph a week ago (today is 26th June) but have had no reply apart from an automatic acknowledgement of receiving my message.

XorA have visited here

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by cosmic : The glass frontage with stones behind (Vote or comment on this photo)
Early Christian Sculptured Stone in Dumfries and Galloway. On display in the glass fronted porch of Kirkmadrine Burial Chapel is a collection of the oldest Christian monuments outside Whithorn.

The oldest is a pillar stone dating from the 5th Century. All the stones were found in the immediate vicinity suggesting it was an early Christian cemetery.

More information can be found on Canmore ID 60441 which adds: "This church, which served the medieval parish of Toskerton, stood within its walled burial-ground on a low rise 410m S of South Cairnweil farmsteading. The site is (now) occupied by a burial-aisle of the MacTaggarts of Ardwell which incorporates some earlier masonry, most noticeably at the E end, and may preserve the ground-plan of the former church (the aisle measures 12.7m by 5.6m within walls 0.9m thick). Three Early Christian inscribed stones, and five cross-fragments which range in date from the 8th to the 12th century, found on, or near, the site, are displayed in the porch at the W end of the aisle."

The Canmore record also contains descriptions of the stones displayed here and further information can be found at Historic Environment Scotland: Kirkmadrine.
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Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : The display of stones at the western end of Kirkmadrine Church. Unfortunately the sun, the reflections of the trees in the glass and the glittering of the rain drops on the inside of the glass from a recent shower made seeing the stones a little frustrating, to say the least. The two really early and significant Christian stones I really wanted to see and photograph (back left and right of the dis... (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Cosmic : Close up of inscribed stone (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by cosmic : The Chapel porch with the stones behind glass frontage (1 comment - Vote or comment on this photo)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Antonine : 2008 (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Antonine (Vote or comment on this photo)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Antonine

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Antonine

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Antonine

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : I haven’t been able to match this with any of the stones on the Statement of Significance or the Canmore Early Medieval Cross Slab descriptions. The image of it on Canmore simply refers to it as a cross-slab. (1 comment)

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : A very bad photograph of Kirkmadrine 3, due to the light, shadows and reflections in the glass windows of the display. This slab which had been found in the old churchyard here in around 1810, then taken to Stoneykirk Free Church Manse where it was used as a gate post. It was retrieved in 1916 and brought back to the church and displayed outside the west end of the church. It was moved behind glas...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : Kirkmadrine 4 on the Statement of Significance and Accession no: KMD012, also described as a 9th to 11th century consecration stone. It measures 60cms tall by 34cms wide. It had been re-used as a more modern grave marker. The carvings show a hammer-headed cross over the top of a saltire cross formed with double lines. Canmore adds: "there is a small cross with barred terminals in each section of t...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : This is Kirkmadrine 7 on the Statement of Significance, Accession no: KMD004, dated to the 6th to 7th century. It had been re-used in a nearby dyke (stone wall) before being brought into the churchyard. The information sign reads: “Sacred Springs. Look for the curved lines below the square-headed cross on the tall stone – a simple, flowing motif, possibly evoking a fountain or sprint. Early Ch...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : This early medieval cross slab, carved in low relief, is Kirkmadrine 05 on the Statement of Significance, Accession no: KMD002. It is carved on both sides, although only face A is visible in the display. “Custom Fit: With its wedge-shaped arms, this cross looks like it was carved to fit the irregular shape of the now broken stone. Look for the diamond motif at the centre – a symbol of Chris...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : This is Kirkmadrine 6, a really unusual stone with an unusual mix of designs carved into it. The information sign reads: “Distinctive Design. The design of the stone of the left is unique. The carvers have decorated it with multiple crosses and circular ‘boss’ shapes. Don’t miss the weaving interlace pattern at the top, symbolising eternity. It possibly lay flat over a grave”. The raindr...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : On the statement of significance this is This is Kirkmadrine 12; Accession no. KMD009, a little bit of an oddity. Not round enough to be a quern stone and not the right shape for a wheel headed cross? The information sign reads: “The stone on the left stands out from the rest. Its semi-circular shape and central depression could indicate that it is an unfinished cross head. Alternatively, it co...

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : Kirkmadrine 08: The Information Sign reads: “Unfinished Business? The circular grooves on the stone at the back are likely to be an unfinished attempt at creating a cross shape. Carving was done by semi-professional carvers. Their circumstances could change quickly and projects might be abandoned”. The raindrops are on the inside of the glass.

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : Bullaun stone, Kirkmadrine KMD 10. The information sign reads: “Pebbles and Prayers. The smooth hollows on this ‘bullaun’ stone have been caused by people turning pebbles onto its as they prayed. At a time when Mass was reserved for the clergy, this ancient foll custom was a way for ordinary people to participate in their religion”. The raindrops are inside the glass.

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : At first glance, this might be taken as one of the early Christian stones, but is in fact a memorial to John McTaggart who died in 1810. As you reach the gate into the churchyard from the signposted lane, the cross sits on a mound high above you, south of the south western corner of the church.

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by Anne T : The Old Church at Kirkmadrine, accessed by walking up a pleasant grassy lane. The display of early Christian stones is behind glass at the west end of the church. Unfortunately, due to a heavy rain storm as we walked up, some rain had got behind the glass doors and blurred the display.

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by XorA : Taken on a visit on 08-05-2016

Kirkmadrine Church Stones
Kirkmadrine Church Stones submitted by durhamnature : Images of the stones, from "Kirkcudbrightshire" via archive.org

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"Kirkmadrine Church Stones" | Login/Create an Account | 5 News and Comments
  
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Re: Kirkmadrine Church Stones by MaccMan on Sunday, 09 January 2022
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I was relooking at my photograph of the Bullaun Stone the other day and reading the associated text (reproduced above). I had never thought of a the repeated use of a pebble to mark a stone as a prayer before: perhaps this is what a cup mark is in rock art. Maybe the commonly associated concentric circles on rock art are the main symbol of worship, similar to the Christian cross.
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Re: Kirkmadrine Church Stones by cosmic on Friday, 05 February 2021
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Statement of Significance by HES at
https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/publications/publication/?publicationid=19d59bbf-3a86-4349-9fa3-a78c00ef32fa
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Kirkmadrine Stones: Statement of Significance PIC199 by Andy B on Wednesday, 12 July 2017
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The Kirkmadrine collection contains 12 early medieval carved stones which are displayed in a porch attached to the west end of the church. The three earliest of these form the largest collection of Latin-inscribed stones at one location in Scotland. The site is contemporary with the early monastery at Whithorn

All but two of the stones were found within the churchyard, although they have been moved several times before they were gathered into the purpose-built porch as part of the restoration of the church by architect William Galloway in 1890. The porch was refurbished and the display renewed in 2014.

https://www.academia.edu/33765244/Kirkmadrine_Stones_Statement_of_Significance_PIC199
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Re: Kirkmadrine Church Stones by Sunny100 on Wednesday, 05 July 2017
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Anne, I think you're enjoying this. Anyway, keep up the good work. Any chance you'll be coming down to the northwest of England ?
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Re: Kirkmadrine Church Stones by Anne T on Wednesday, 05 July 2017
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These stones are described as the 'oldest and most important Christian memorial stones in Scotland. Now in the care of Historic Scotland, the stones are displayed at Kirkmadrine Chapel and confirm the existence of an early Christian church on the site. Today, you can see eight Christian stones dating from the 5th to the 12th centuries in a protected recess at the west end of the church. Kirkmaiden Church overlooks Luce Bay and the Galloway Hills beyond. This church was built in 1638 and the churchyard is home to a number of interesting gravestones, one in the shape of a lighthouse. Kirkmaiden is still used as a church today and celebrated 375 years of worship in June 2013."

Source: Mull of Galloway Historic Sites.
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