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Kirriemuir

Cross Slab(S) (Early Medieval), Pictish Symbol Stone(S) (Pictish)

Site Name Kirriemuir

Classification Cross Slab(S) (Early Medieval), Pictish Symbol Stone(S) (Pictish)

Canmore ID 32298

Site Number NO35SE 20

NGR NO 3895 5448

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/32298

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Digital Images

Administrative Areas

  • Council Angus
  • Parish Kirriemuir
  • Former Region Tayside
  • Former District Angus
  • Former County Angus

Early Medieval Carved Stones Project

Kirriemuir

All of the 18 carved stones and fragments came from the site of the old parish church and churchyard in Kirriemuir, and they testify to the existence in the early medieval period of a strong local school of sculpture. The distinctive features of its cross-slabs include crosses filled with bold interlace or diagonal key pattern, crosses with six-cord rings, figures wearing elaborately folded garments and a chair with bold zoomorphic terminals. Pictish symbols appear on two of the cross-slabs. These carved stones are now in the Meffan Museum and Gallery in Forfar (Canmore 194389), except for no 18 which is in the Gateway Museum in the old Town House in Kirriemuir (Canmore 32291).

Primary references: ECMS pt 3, 226-8, 258-61; RCAHMS 2003 Broadsheet 11.

A Ritchie 2019

Activities

Field Visit (5 September 1958)

These four sculptured cross-slabs are grouped together in a railed-off area behind the NE corner of a shelter within the New Cemetery, at NO 3895 5448. Three small ones measure c. 0.3m square and the larger one is 0.9m x 0.4m. Each is as described.

Visited by OS (JLD) 5 September 1958.

Desk Based Assessment (1958)

NO35SE 20.00 3895 5448

NO35SE 20.01 NO 3895 5448 Pictish Cross-Slab

NO35SE 20.02 NO 3895 5448 Pictish Cross-Slab

NO35SE 20.03 NO 3895 5448 Pictish Cross-Slab

NO35SE 20.04 NO 3895 5448 Cross-Slab

NO35SE 20.05 NO 3895 5448 Cross-Slab

(Name: NO 3894 5449) Cross Slabs (NR)

OS 25" map, 1966.

Four Class II and III sculptured stones found in the foundations of the old church of Kirriemuir (see NO35SE 3) in 1787 are in the New Cemetery. One bears a cross with interlaced design and human figures on one side, and on the other, 3 figures and a mirror, comb, etc, symbols. Measures 0.58 x 0.45m.

Another bears a cross and a man on horseback with a dog.

A third bears a cross with geometric figures, humans and animals on one side, and the scene of a hunt on the other.

The fourth portrays a single human figure.

A J Warden 1880-85; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; A Reid 1909.

Five sculptured stones from the old parish church of Kirriemuir are now in the cemetery on the S flank of the Hill of Kirriemuir (NO 389 544). (i) A small Class II Pictish cross-slab found when the old parish church was demolished in 1787 (Stuart 1856; Allen and Anderson 1903).

(ii) A Class II Pictish cross-slab, also found in the old church (Stuart 1856; Allen and Anderson 1903).

(iii) The lower part of a Class III Pictish cross-slab, also found in the old church (Stuart 1856; Allen and Anderson 1903).

(iv) Part of a sculptured slab bearing the figure of an angel, also found in the old church (Stuart 1867; Allen and Anderson 1903).

(v) A Class III Pictish cross-slab, which formerly stood in the churchyard of the old parish church (Allen and Anderson 1903; Coutts 1970; RCAHMS 1983).

J Stuart 1856; 1867; J R Allen and J Anderson 1903; H Coutts 1970; RCAHMS 1983.

Information from OS.

Reference (1983)

The cross-slab which formerly stood in the churchyard of the old parish church, has now been placed with the 4 already here.

RCAHMS 1983.

Note (1983)

Kirriemuir NO 386 539 NO35SE 20

Five sculptured stones from the old parish church of Kirriemuir are now in the cemetery on the S flank of the Hill of Kirriemuir (NO 389 544).

(i) A small Class II Pictish cross-slab found when the old parish church was demolished in 1787.

(Stuart 1856, 14, plate xliii; Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 227).

(ii) A Class II Pictish cross-slab, also found in the old church.

(Stuart 1856, 14, plates xiv, xlvi; Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 227-8).

(iii) The lower part of a Class III Pictish cross-slab, also found in the old church.

(Stuart 1856, 14,_plate xii ii; Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 258-60).

(iv) Part of a sculptured slab bearing the figure of an angel, also found in the old church.

(Stuart 1867, 8, plate xiii, 2; Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 260-1).

(v) A Class III Pictish cross-slab, which formerly stood in the churchyard of the old parish church.

RCAHMS 1983

(Allen and Anderson 1903, iii, 261; Coutts 1970, 61-2, no. 18).

Reference (1988)

The stones were in very poor environmental conditions in a partially glazed wooden hut and also had suffered physical damage doubtless due to unscrupulous photographers. They have been removed with SDD permission to be cleaned and restored by the Scottish Museums Council. A decision will then be taken over their destination.

N Atkinson 1988.

Reference (1995)

NO 390 545 The five cross slabs, originally found when the present Parish Church was built in 1787, were removed from the new cemetery in 1988 to undergo conservation by the Scottish Museums Council. They are now on display in the Meffan Institute, Forfar.

N Atkinson 1995

References

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