Angus HER - NO65NW0023 - FARNELL PARISH CHURCH

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNO65NW0023
NameFARNELL PARISH CHURCH
NRHE Card No.NO65NW23
NRHE Numlink 35735
HES SM No. NULL
HES LB No. 11497
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Complete 2
Details Parish church and graveyard, still in ecclesiastical use. It was built in 1806 by James Playfair alongside the remains of the old Parish church, given a medieval date in the antiquarian records. It was extended and refurbished in 1929. It is depicted on the 1st and 2nd edition OS maps as a rectangular church with a small projection on the south elevation, set within an irregular graveyard. Current maps show the church has been extended to the west, and the graveyard extended to the east. It is constructed in a gothic revival style from red sandstone ashlar blocks, which are now heavily weathered in places. The roof is slated. The nave has large pointed arch windows with simple tracery and diamond shaped panes of glass. The north windows have been blocked on the inside during later alterations. There are tall, stepped and gabled buttresses between the windows and at the corners. The main entrance into the church is through the pointed arch doorway in the north elevation, above which is a cruciform shaped blind window or recess. The wallheads are corbelled, which supports a crenellated parapet. The gables of the church are very unusual, with no others like it in Angus. They are curved and heavily crenellated, and there are pinnacles at each corner. The west end of the church has a crocketted bell niche. Below are three pointed arch windows, the central one of which is larger. Attached to the west gable is a flat roofed Guild Room, built in 1929. This has large corner pinnacles and plain, rectangular windows. The west gable has a single, large pointed arch window with intersecting tracery. The interior has a vaulted plaster ceiling. Interior fixtures and fittings include a poor box of 1681 and a mort bell with the inscription 'MDC'. There is a vaulted plaster ceiling. Former manse and steading / offices to the west (NO65NW0096). In 1849 a Class III Cross slab was found in the line of the foundation of the old Kirk (later displayed at Montrose Museum and at Pictavia, Brechin). When the graveyard was extended in 1870, a line of coffins carefully constructed of stone slabs, probably long cists, was discovered to the east of the church. Two cross heads and two medieval grave covers, one bearing a sword, the base of a cross and some old English letters in relief, were also found. A dedication cross is built into the wall of the graveyard. The symbol bearing slab of old red sandstone measures 2.05 m x 6.9 m (maximum width). It is roughly rectangular in shape with a pedimented top and is ornamented in relief on two faces. The front bears a Celtic-style cross containing interlaced panels and zoomorphic interlacing also. The back shows the temptation of Adam and Eve, the figure of an angel, two attenuated monsters and a cross, all encased within a jewelled margin. The stone is entirely broken across on the reverse side and is clamped with a support. A Charles I copper turner (twopence or Bodle) was found in the graveyard in 1995. It was retained by the finder. Within the churchyard is the Commonwealth war grave of E Martin, Queen Mary's Army Auxiliary Corps, who dies 11 May 1919.
Last Update20/06/2022
Updated Bycpalmer
Compiler 
Date of Compilation 

Google Map for NO65NW0023

National Grid Reference: NO 6274 5543



Event Details


Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
CROSSES CELTICN100
GRAVEYARDS  O100
CISTSLONGSITE OFB100
CROSS-SLABS CLASS IIIC100
CROSS-HEADS  D100
COVERSGRAVE E100
CROSSES INTERLACEDF100
INTERLACINGZOOMORPHIC G100
CROSSESDEDICATION H100
CHURCHYARDS  I100
ROOFSSLATE J100
GRAVESWARCOMMONWEALTHZ100
WINDOWS POINTEDK100
RECESSES CRUCIFORML100
WALLHEADS CORBELLEDM100
PARAPETS CRENELLATEDQ100
GABLESCURVEDCRENELLATEDR100
PINNACLESCORNER S100
NICHESBELLCROCKETTEDT100
CHURCHES SITE OFA100
CHURCHESASHLARGOTHIC REVIVALP100
WINDOWSRECTANGULAR U100
WINDOWS DIAMOND-PANEDV100
WINDOWS TRACERIEDW100
BELLSMORTINSCRIBEDX100
CEILINGSPLASTERVAULTEDY100