Alternative Names Parish Kirk Of St Drostan; Church Of St Mordrustus And St John
Site type CHURCH (18TH CENTURY), TOWER (12TH CENTURY)
Canmore ID 29951
Site Number NO20SE 13.00
NGR NO 29745 01967
Council FIFE
Parish MARKINCH
Former Region FIFE
Former District KIRKCALDY
Former County FIFE

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Archaeological Notes

NO20SE 13 29745 01967

NO20SE 13.01 NO 29748 01955 Churchyard
NO20SE 13.02 NO 29726 01982 Session House

Markinch Church is the successor of a preaching station said to have been established here towards the close of the 6th century. About the middle of the 11th century, it was given to the Culdees of Loch Leven and c.1203, Duncan, Earl of Fife gave the church to the Priory of St Andrews. On the 19th July 1243, the church was rededicated to St John the Baptist, the former dedication being to St Drostan or Modrust.
A H Miller 1895.

(NO 2974 0197) Although the rest of the parish church is modern, the western tower dates from the 12th century. The present spire and cornice, with the course of masonry below the latter are modern and so, too, is the present entrance.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 1927.

As described and in normal use.
Visited by OS (JP) 19 June 1974

NO 2975 0196 Inserted into the wall at the E end of the church is a stone bearing a worn shield with a device including a chevron with a figure at the apex, possibly of the Balfour family.
Built into the outer face of the wall retaining the S edge of the graveyard are two small piscinas, about 0.1m wide, possibly from the church.
C A-Kelly 2000.

Architectural Notes

NO20SE 13.00 29745 01967

NO20SE 13.01 29748 01955 Churchyard
NO20SE 13.02 29726 01982 Session House



Copied from Architecture Catalogue slip:
ARCHITECT: James Barclay 1806-7 - additions and alterations
Robert Rowand Anderson 1875 - session house
James Gillespie recast 1883

REFERENCE: SRO
Four elevations of a Church with steeple. Unsigned. One dated 1809.
[James Barclay's plan for extension of the church adopted in 1806. His plan for a spire with hewn stone and octagon adopted 1807.]
1798-1809 GD 26/10/118
Ground floor and Gallery plan.
1805 GD 26/10/119
Ground floor plan and loft labelled 'aisle'.
19th Century GD 26/10/119

A-Kelly, C (2000f) 'St Drostan's Church, Markinch (Markinch parish), carved stones', Discovery Excav Scot, vol.1
Page(s): 41

Cowan, I B (1967) The parishes of medieval Scotland, Scot Rec Soc, vol.93 Edinburgh
Page(s): 143 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.COW

Fawcett, R (2002) Scottish medieval churches: architecture and furnishings, Stroud
Page(s): 72, 80, 110 Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.FAW

Hay, G (1957a) The architecture of Scottish post-Reformation churches, 1560-1843, Oxford
Page(s): 175, 258 Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.HAY

MacGibbon and Ross, D and T (1896-7) 'The ecclesiastical architecture of Scotland from the earliest Christian times to the seventeenth century', 3v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.1, 193-6 Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.MAC

Millar, A H (1895) Fife: pictorial and historical: its people, burghs, castles and mansions', 2v Cupar, Edinburgh and Glasgow
Page(s): Vol.2, 65 Held at RCAHMS D.4.MIL.R

OSA (1791-9) The statistical account of Scotland, drawn up from the communications of the ministers of the different parishes, in Sinclair, J (Sir) Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.12, 535, 551 Held at RCAHMS B.2.2.STA

RCAHMS (1933) The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments and Constructions of Scotland. Eleventh report with inventory of monuments and constructions in the counties of Fife, Kinross, and Clackmannan Edinburgh
Page(s): 201-2, No.410 Held at RCAHMS A.1.1.INV/11

Scott, H et al (eds.) (1915-61) Fasti ecclesiae Scoticanae: the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the Reformation, Revision Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol.8, 432 Held at RCAHMS C.3.2.FES

Taylor, A (1896) Ancient towers and doorways: being pictorial representations of masoncraft relating to Celtic and Norman ecclesiology in Scotland, London
Held at RCAHMS F.5.31.TAY

Walker, J R (1888) Pre-Reformation churches in Fife and the Lothians, , vol.1 {s.l.}
Page(s): Vol. 1 Held at RCAHMS D.4.1.WAL