Description

Probably late 17th century. Ruined remains of gabled church standing in roughly square grave yard enclosed by random rubble boundary walls. Several interesting 18th and early 19th century gravestones.

CHURCH: E and W gables and N wall complete to wallhead; intermittent remains of S wall. Window in E gable. Random granite rubble.

GRAVEYARD: random rubble enclosure with iron gate to E. Various 18th and 19th century grave stones including monument to Alexander Ross (see Notes).

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building, now ruinous and no longer in use. Picturesque remains of probably late 17th century church with church yard situated prominently on the shore of Loch Lee.

The church was dedicated to St Drostan, who is believed to have founded a church on this site in the late 8th century. The original church (or a replacement) was demolished in the Cromwellian period, and the present building probably dates from the late 17th century. Alexander Gold describes the church as thatched with heather, and according to the Old Statistical Account it was slated in 1784. The church fell out of use when the new Parish Church was built in 1803, although the graveyard continued to be used by certain families until the mid 19th century. According to Gold the church bell did not hang in the church, but 'hangs in a wooden bell-house, about 10 feet high, adjoining to the Manse, and not in a tree, as formerly'.

In the churchyard is a memorial to Alexander Ross (1699-1784), who was the local schoolmaster and author of 'The Fortunate Shepherdess', a pastoral poem in the Scottish dialect that was much admired by Robert Burns and others. A number of epitaphs on other gravestones in the graveyard are attributed to him. Category changed from B to C(S) in 2006.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56618515

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)