Stobo Kirk
Encyclopedia
Stobo Kirk is an ancient church of the Church of Scotland
. It is dedicated to St Mungo and is situated near the B712 off the A72 just 6 miles south-west of Peebles
in the ancient county of Peeblesshire
, now part of the Scottish Borders Council area.
of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde
, and Stobo is believed to be one of his foundations.
Stobo was originally the 'plebania' or mother church with subordinate chapelries
or churches at Dawyck, Drumelzier
, Kingledoors
, Tweedsmuir
, Broughton, Glenholm, and Lyne
.
. The church was becoming wealthy but the people were still poor and many voices spoke of reforming the church in Scotland. The people of Stobo were no different and when their canon, Adam Colquhoun, was succeeded by one of his two sons, it helped fuel the desire for a reformed church.
, appears to have retained much of the original 12th century building, including windows, the nave
and chancel
, unlike many other Roman Catholic churches which were destroyed after the coming of the reformed religion. The tower was raised above first floor level in the 16th century and further major restoration
was carried out in 1863 by John Lessels
, an eminent 19th century architect. Further major restoration work was carried out in 1929. The church exterior is not so inviting but the interior is of great interest and character.
(Merlin Sylvestris) or Merlin
(the wizard associated with King Arthur) to Christianity and baptised him on a boulder near Drumelzier
. Merlin had fled to the forest after Gwenddoleu had been defeated and killed at the battle of Arderydd near Arthuret
in 573. There is a great rock at the spot known as the 'Altar Stone' and a stained glass window in Stobo Kirk commemorates the event.
On the outer entrance hangs the old Jougs
used to punish recalcitant members of the parish until some time in the 18th century.
, in the erroneous belief that this was the site of Saint Kentigern's Chapel, the structure incorporates a standing stone in the wall. It was probably a chantry or mortuary aisle of the 15th century. The 14th burial slab of Robert Vesey, and others of a local miller and a knight in armour are preserved in the aisle. The altar stone may be linked to the conversion of Merlin Sylvestris by Saint Kentigern (Mungo).
presented a number of brass hanging lamps to the kirk and one of these has been identified as being manufactured in Nuremberg
by Hans Muller between 1693 and 1701. The others are copies or by other Nuremberg
craftsmen.
.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
. It is dedicated to St Mungo and is situated near the B712 off the A72 just 6 miles south-west of Peebles
Peebles
Peebles is a burgh in the committee area of Tweeddale, in the Scottish Borders, lying on the River Tweed. According to the 2001 Census, the population was 8,159.-History:...
in the ancient county of Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire
Peeblesshire , the County of Peebles or Tweeddale was a county of Scotland. Its main town was Peebles, and it bordered Midlothian to the north, Selkirkshire to the east, Dumfriesshire to the south, and Lanarkshire to the west.After the local government reorganisation of 1975 the use of the name...
, now part of the Scottish Borders Council area.
Early history
It is believed there has been a church on the site of present day Stobo Kirk since as early as the 6th century. St Kentigern, otherwise known as St Mungo, founded many churches during his time as ArchbishopArchbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of the ancient kingdom of Strathclyde
Strathclyde
right|thumb|the former Strathclyde regionStrathclyde was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created by the Local Government Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc Act 1994...
, and Stobo is believed to be one of his foundations.
Stobo was originally the 'plebania' or mother church with subordinate chapelries
Chapelry
A chapelry was a subdivision of an ecclesiastical parish in England, and parts of Lowland Scotland up to the mid 19th century. It had a similar status to a township but was so named as it had a chapel which acted as a subsidiary place of worship to the main parish church...
or churches at Dawyck, Drumelzier
Drumelzier
Drumelzier , is a village on the B712 in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders.The area of the village is extensive and includes the settlements of Wrae, Stanhope, Mossfennan and Kingledoors. To the north is Broughton and to the south the road passes Crook Inn to Tweedsmuir.The Drumelzier or...
, Kingledoors
Kingledoors
Kingledoors is a group of settlements in a valley in southern Scotland near Tweedsmuir in the Scottish Borders, in the valley of the River Tweed...
, Tweedsmuir
Tweedsmuir
The village of Tweedsmuir is a village and civil parish situated from the source of the River Tweed, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland....
, Broughton, Glenholm, and Lyne
Lyne, Scottish Borders
Lyne is a small village and civil parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, west of the market town of Peebles; it lies off the A72, in the old county of Peeblesshire and has an area of about ....
.
Medieval times
A new church, the ancestor of the present building, was built in the 12th century, but during the 15th and 16th centuries, the Scottish people were becoming weary of the rule of RomeRoman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. The church was becoming wealthy but the people were still poor and many voices spoke of reforming the church in Scotland. The people of Stobo were no different and when their canon, Adam Colquhoun, was succeeded by one of his two sons, it helped fuel the desire for a reformed church.
Post Reformation
Stobo, part of the Parish of Stobo in the Diocese of Glasgow until the Protestant ReformationProtestant Reformation
The Protestant Reformation was a 16th-century split within Western Christianity initiated by Martin Luther, John Calvin and other early Protestants. The efforts of the self-described "reformers", who objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church, led...
, appears to have retained much of the original 12th century building, including windows, the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, unlike many other Roman Catholic churches which were destroyed after the coming of the reformed religion. The tower was raised above first floor level in the 16th century and further major restoration
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
was carried out in 1863 by John Lessels
John Lessels
John Lessels was a Scottish architect and artist, notably active in Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders. He was responsible for numerous buildings and alteration projects in Berwickshire....
, an eminent 19th century architect. Further major restoration work was carried out in 1929. The church exterior is not so inviting but the interior is of great interest and character.
Legend
Legend has it that St Kentigern converted Myrddin WylltMyrddin Wyllt
Myrddin Wyllt , Merlinus Caledonensis or Merlin Sylvestris is a figure in medieval Welsh legend, known as a prophet and a madman...
(Merlin Sylvestris) or Merlin
Merlin
Merlin is a legendary figure best known as the wizard featured in the Arthurian legend. The standard depiction of the character first appears in Geoffrey of Monmouth's Historia Regum Britanniae, written c. 1136, and is based on an amalgamation of previous historical and legendary figures...
(the wizard associated with King Arthur) to Christianity and baptised him on a boulder near Drumelzier
Drumelzier
Drumelzier , is a village on the B712 in the Tweed Valley in the Scottish Borders.The area of the village is extensive and includes the settlements of Wrae, Stanhope, Mossfennan and Kingledoors. To the north is Broughton and to the south the road passes Crook Inn to Tweedsmuir.The Drumelzier or...
. Merlin had fled to the forest after Gwenddoleu had been defeated and killed at the battle of Arderydd near Arthuret
Arthuret
Arthuret is a civil parish in the Carlisle district of Cumbria, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 2,434. The parish includes the small town of Longtown and the village of Easton...
in 573. There is a great rock at the spot known as the 'Altar Stone' and a stained glass window in Stobo Kirk commemorates the event.
Description of the kirk building
Both the church and the graveyard are B listed.Porch
The porch was added in the late 15th - 16th century and is notable for the grooves in the left-hand door jamb, created by pupils sharpening their slate pencils before class and possibly by the sharpening of arrow heads prior to the weekly after-church archery practice which became compulsory after the disaster of the Battle of Flodden. The 12th century Norman entrance into the nave has a door made from a single board of cedar wood from the nearby Dawyck estate.On the outer entrance hangs the old Jougs
Jougs
The jougs, juggs, or joggs is an instrument of punishment formerly in use in Scotland, the Netherlands and other countries.- Purpose :...
used to punish recalcitant members of the parish until some time in the 18th century.
Nave
A much damaged Celtic cross was found in the stonework during restoration and a reconstruction has been placed in the nave. The red paint on the stonework is a reminder of the original brightly painted character of pre-Reformation churches.North aisle chapel
Reconstructed in a style reminiscent of the Arts and Crafts MovementArts and Crafts movement
Arts and Crafts was an international design philosophy that originated in England and flourished between 1860 and 1910 , continuing its influence until the 1930s...
, in the erroneous belief that this was the site of Saint Kentigern's Chapel, the structure incorporates a standing stone in the wall. It was probably a chantry or mortuary aisle of the 15th century. The 14th burial slab of Robert Vesey, and others of a local miller and a knight in armour are preserved in the aisle. The altar stone may be linked to the conversion of Merlin Sylvestris by Saint Kentigern (Mungo).
Tower
The tower may be 12th century in origin, however it has been rebuilt several times. It gave access to the 'Laird's Loft' and now contains a meeting room as well as the vestry. Blocked-up windows of a likely 16th century date are present.Brass hanging lamps
The Balfour family of Stobo CastleStobo Castle
Stobo Castle is located at Stobo in the Scottish Borders, in the former county of Peeblesshire. The Manor of Stobo was originally owned by the Balfour family. It became the family seat of the Graham-Montgomery Baronets from 1767. The building of the present castle began in 1805 and was completed in...
presented a number of brass hanging lamps to the kirk and one of these has been identified as being manufactured in Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
by Hans Muller between 1693 and 1701. The others are copies or by other Nuremberg
Nuremberg
Nuremberg[p] is a city in the German state of Bavaria, in the administrative region of Middle Franconia. Situated on the Pegnitz river and the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal, it is located about north of Munich and is Franconia's largest city. The population is 505,664...
craftsmen.
'Stobo Kirk' by James McIntosh Patrick
The kirk is the subject of paintings by the 20th century Scottish landscape painter James McIntosh Patrick (1907-98), including the well-known 'Stobo Kirk' (1936) in the City Art Centre, EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
See also
- Dawyck ChapelDawyck ChapelDawyck Chapel, also known as Dalwick Church, is located within the Parish of Drumelzier in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland...
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland
Sources
- Groome, Francis H. (1903) Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland. Vol. 1. London: Caxton Publishing Company
- Seymour, Camilla & Randall, John (2007) Stobo Kirk: a guide to the building and its history. Peebles: John Randall
External links
- Stobo Kirk Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland