A Corpus of Scottish Medieval
Parish Churches

Historical outline

Dedication: St Memma the Virgin(1)

Scoonie is one of the few churches in the diocese of St Andrews whose history can be traced back to the mid-eleventh century.  It was first conferred on the céli Dé of Loch Leven by Tuathal, bishop of St Andrews (1055-c.1066)(2) and then passed with all of the other possessions of that community into the hands of the canons of St Andrews around 1152 x 1159 by grant of Bishop Robert of St Andrews.(3)  Confirmation of this transfer was made by Bishop Richard in the early 1170s. (4)  Papal confirmations of the priory’s possessopm pf the church of Scoonie were received from Lucius III in 1183, Gregory VIII in 1187, Clement III in 1188, Innocent III in 1206, and Honorius III in 1216.

Despite these grants and confirmations, between 1174 and 1178 Earl Duncan II of Fife gave the church of Scoonie with its kirklands, teinds and oblations to the canons.(6)  King William confirmed the earl’s gift of the churches of Scoonie, Markinch and the chapel of Kettle before 1178.(7)  Between c.1180 and 1204 Malcolm, earl of Fife, confirmed the church to the priory as the gift of his father, and a further confirmation was received from King William between 1189 and 1195.(8)  Scoonie, recorded as the gift of Earl Duncan, was amongst the many properties confirmed to the canons by Bishop Roger de Beaumont (1198-1202) in a general charter.(9)

In 1211 x 1238, Bishop William Malveisin gave the church of Scoonie to the canons of St Andrews in simplex beneficium (i.e. without cure), so that its revenues could be employed for the fabric of the church of St Andrews. The parson, who was to be presented by the priory, was to give 20 merks annually for the fabric of the church of St Andrews, suffering a penalty of 100s for any late payment.(10)  Malveisin’s grant was amplified in 1241 by Bishop David de Bernham, who assigned the fruits of the church of Scoonie with its lands and the garbal tithes of Kilmux in proprios usus towards the fabric of the church of St Andrews; the altarage was reserved from the gift and assigned to the vicar perpetual who was to serve the cure.(11)  Despite these annexations, Pope Innocent IV’s general confirmation of 1246 only recorded the priory’s possession of the advowson of Scoonie.(12)

Scoonie was dedicated to St Memma the Virgin by Bishop David de Bernham on 30 May 1243.(13)  It was as a vicarage that the church was recorded in the accounts of the papal tax-collector in Scotland in 1275, where it was noted that one merk had been paid in tax.(14)

Although the canons had regularly been confirmed in possession of the garbal teinds of the parish since the 1240s they were to face challenges to that right by the early fifteenth century.  On 30 Spril 1405, Bisset, prior of St Andrews, issued a summons in what appears to have been an already long-running dispute with the nunnery of North Berwick over the garbal teinds of the nuns’ lands of Montraive in parish of Scoonie.(15)  Conflict with the nuns was still unresolved in 1453, when the canons complained to the pope that ‘although the rectory of Scoonie with all its appurtenances and rights, save the portion of a perpetual vicar, is perpetual annexed to the mensa of the priory … and that the prior and chapter have from time immemorial been in possession of tithes of fruits… nevertheless the prioress and nuns of North Berwick, together with certain accomplices and abettors have carried away the greater and lesser tithes of the vills of Athing and Machuse within said parish and turned them to their own uses’.(16)  Thirty years later in 1483, it was noted that a pension of 100s was paid to James Lindsay, vicar general of the Franciscans in Scotland from the fruits of Scoonie and another church, it also being stated that at that date Scoonie was annexed to the archiepiscopal mensa of St Andrews.(17)  If that annexation had occurred it appears to have been a temporary arrangement.  At the Reformation the parsonage was recorded as annexed to the priory of St Andrews and valued at £160 annually, while the vicarage, at that date held by James Balfour, dean of Glasgow, was worth £53 6s 8d annually.(18)

Notes

1. S Taylor and G Markus, The Place-Names of Fife, vol 2, Central Fife between the Rivers Leven and Eden (Donington, 2008), 501-502.

2. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree in Scotia (Bannatyne Club, 1841), 116-117 [hereafter St Andrews Liber].

3. St Andrews Liber, 43.

4. St Andrews Liber, 175.

5. Scotia Pontificia: Papal Letters to Scotland before the Pontifcate of Innocent III, ed R Somerville (Oxford, 1982), nos 119, 148, 149; St Andrews Liber, 71-6, 76-81.

6. St Andrews Liber, 241.

7. Regesta Regum Scottorum, ii, The Acts of William I, ed G W S Barrow (Edinburgh, 1971), no.151 [hereafter RRS, ii].

8. St Andrews Liber, 244; RRS, ii, no.333.

9. St Andrews Liber, 152.

10. St Andrews Liber, 160.

11. St Andrews Liber, 168.

12. St Andrews Liber, 92-5.

13. A O Anderson (ed), Early Sources of Scottish History, ii (Edinburgh, 1922), 523 [Pontifical Offices of St Andrews]; St Andrews Liber, 348.

14. A I Dunlop (ed), ‘Bagimond’s Roll: Statement of the Tenths of the Kingdom of Scotland’, Miscellany of the Scottish History Society, vi (1939), 39.

15. Copiale Prioratus Sanctiandree, ed J H Baxter (Oxford, 1930), no.27.

16. Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland: Papal Letters, x, 1447-1455, ed J A Twemlow (London, 1915), 569-70.

17. Calendar of Entries in the Papal Registers Relating to Great Britain and Ireland: Papal Letters, xiii, 1471-1484, ed J A Twemlow (London, 1955), 142.

18. J Kirk (ed), The Books of Assumption of the Thirds of Benefices (Oxford, 1995), 9, 15, 17, 21, 71.

Summary of relevant documentation

Medieval

Synopsis of Cowan’s Parishes:  The church was granted to Culdees of Loch Leven by Tuathal, bishop of St Andrews 2055x59, and passed to the priory of St Andrews by 1126x56.

A fresh grant was made by Duncan, earl of Fife, 1189x98 (patronage alone). The fruits were granted to the cathedral by 1241, with a perpetual vicarage set up.(1)

According to Mackinley the church was dedicated to St Mennan the Virgin, (possibly Modwenna?).(2)

Place Names of Fife vol. 2 notes that the church was dedicated to St Memma the Virgin (Memma is not attested in any other source, nor are there any other dedications to her.(3)

1055-c. 1066 The church of Scoonie was conferred (contulit) to the céli Dé of Loch Leven by Tuathal, bishop of St Andrews.(4) 

1152 x 1159 The kirkton (villa ecclesiastica) of Scoonie was given to the cathedral priory along with the other assets of the monastery of Loch Leven by Robert, bishop of St Andrews.(5)

1174 x 1178 Duncan II, earl of Fife, gave (dare) the church of Scoonie with lands, tithes, oblations and easements.(6)

1173 x 1178 William I confirmed the churches of Scoonie and Markinch with lands and tithes and also the chapel of Kettle as a gift by Duncan II, earl of Fife.(7)

c. 1180 x 1204 Malcolm, son of Duncan, earl of Fife, confirmed the churches of Cupar, Markinch, Scoonie and the chapel of Kettle as grants made by his father.(8)

1189 x 1195 William I confirmed the church of Scoonie as a gift of Duncan II, earl of Fife.(9)

Papal confirmations

Church of Scoonie was confirmed to the priory by Lucius III in 1183, Gregory VIII in 1187, Clement III in 1188, Innocent III in 1206, and Honorius III in 1216.(10)

1211 x 1238 William Malveisin, bishop of St Andrews, gave (dare) the church of Scoonie to the prior and convent of St Andrews in simplex beneficium (i.e. without cure) for the fabric of the church of St Andrews. The parson, who was presented by the priory, owed 20 marks annually for the fabric of the church of St Andrews via the priory. The parson would owe a penalty of 100s for late payment.(11)

1241 The fruits of the church of Scoonie with lands and the garbal tithes of Kilmux were granted in proprios usus to the fabric of the church of St Andrews to be administered by the prior and convent of St Andrews; save for the altarage assigned to the vicar.(12)

1246 Pope Innocent IV confirmed (general confirmation) that the cathedral priory held the advowson of the churches of Dairsie, Cupar, Markinch, Scoonie, Portmoak, St Cyrus, Lathrisk and Kennoway.(13)

1424 John Laverok (rector of Cults) obtains church through exchange with David Brown.(14)

1453 Nicholas Stitchel dead, church granted to Walter Sibbald; soon in litigation with David Kay who was provided to the church by bishop of St Andrews.(15)

1453 Complaint by priory of St Andrews that ‘although the rectory of Scoonie with all its appurtenances and rights, save the portion of a perpetual vicar, is perpetual annexed to the mensa of the priory of St Andrews and that the prior and chapter have from time immemorial been in possession of tithes of fruits… nevertheless the prioress and nuns of North Berwick, together with certain accomplices and abettors have carried away the greater and lesser tithes of the vills of Athing and Machuse within said parish and turned them to their own uses’.(16)

1483 Pension paid to James Lindesay, vicar general of the Friar Minors of Scotland, 100 marks from the fruits of Scoonie and one other church, both united to the archiepiscopal mensa of St Andrews.(17)

1493 William Tyrie provided to perpetual vicarage vacant by death of George Laing.(18)

At the Reformation- Books of Assumption of Thirds of Benefices and Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices

The Parish church parsonage with priory of St Andrews, valued at £160. Vicarage of held by James Balfour (dean of Glasgow), valued at £53 6s 8d.(19)

Account of Collectors of Thirds of Benefices (G. Donaldson): Third of vicarage £17 15s 6 2/3d.(20)

1568 (1 July) Accusation made that when the Superintendant of Fife (John Winram) visited Scoonie he was asked by Mr William Blackwood to declare his conscience as to whether the mass was idolatrous. Blackwood then asked whether teinds should be paid to anyone who had not recanted the mass. Winram replied (in front of an audience of people) that Blackwood was to take it on his conscience.(21)

1626 (5 Nov) The kirk session records begin with ‘the general acts of the session of Scoonie’. These include an act ‘that no person of whatsoever rank shall be buried in the church at pain of £14 fine’ and that no dogs shall be allowed into the church during the service with their dog as is the fashion amongst the congregation, as they disturb the minister.(22)

1630 (15 Apr) Record of the stipends of ministers in the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy; the minister gets 40 marks pa and some produce.(23)

1634 (27 Mar) Reference to work just finished on repairing the manse of Scoonie.(24)

1636 (25 Aug) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy approves the minister (Robert Cranston) and the reader; ordains that a school is needed - the earl of Wemyss and laid of Durie to see to it.(25)

1637 (3 Aug) Robert Cranston (minister) presented his compt for the reparation of the manse at Scoonie (£509 10s 8d in total).(26)

1640 (26 July) The kirk session finally agreed that there should be a stent roll drawn up… for reparation of the old kirk in the necessary parts and places. John Dick, slater, was contracted to point the church and aisle at a cost of £14.(27)

1644 (14 Aug) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Kirkcaldy admonishes the elders and minister for allowing the laird of Durie to buy his father in the parish church in violation of the act of the General Assembly.(28) (The kirk session record of the same visitation fails to mention the admonition but does agree that the school teacher needs a better stipend).(29)

1645 (16 Mar) Agreement between the elders, heritors and Robert Dempster, slater, for pointing and dressing the church.(30)

1646 (25 Oct) The kirk session noted a series of payments for work on the kirk floor (it was taken out of the poor box), £51 in total.(31)

1650 (13 Aug) Money for pointing the kirk taken out of the poor box, David Wilkie and John Huniman, slaters, contracted to carry out the work at a cost of £18 13s.(32)

1775 (12 July) The kirk session was again held in the ‘church of Scoonie’. [For the previous 3 years it had been held in the minister’s house or merely in Leven. This may suggest that the new church was now in use.](33)

Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev David Swan, 1791): ‘The old church was situated upon a small eminence, like an artificial mound, still employed as a burial ground’.(34)

‘The church, a neat and modern building, with a spire, was erected 16 years ago’.(35) [1775 in the village of Leven]

New Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev George Brewster, 1836): ‘What remains of it [the old church] forms the family vault of the proprietor of Durie’.(36)

Notes

1. Cowan, The parishes of medieval Scotland, 181.

2. Mackinley, Non-Scriptural Dedications, p. 501.

3. Taylor & Markus, The Place-Names of Fife.Volume Two, pp. 501-502.

4. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 116.

5. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 43.

6. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 241.

7. RRS, ii, no. 151.

8. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 244.

9. RRS, ii, no. 333

10. Scotia Pontificia, nos. 119, 148, 149, Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, pp. 71-6, 76-81

11. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 160.

12. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, p. 168.

13. Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree, pp. 92-5.

14. CSSR, ii, 53.

15. CSSR, v, nos. 490 & 505.

16. CPL, x, 569-70.

17. CPL, xiii, 142.

18. CPL, xvi, no. 184.

19. Kirk, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, 9, 15, 17, 21 & 71.

20. Donaldson, Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices, 13.

21. Winram replied that he had long since thought the mass idolatory but said that Blackwood must condemn it in his own conscience, Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies of the Kirk of Scotland, i, 123-24.

22. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fols. 1-7.

23. NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1, fol. 8.

24. NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1, fol. 123.

25. NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1, fols. 189-190.

26. NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1, fols. 215-216.

27. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fol. 35.

28. NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1, fols. 462-63.

29. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fol. 100-101.

30. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fol. 112.

31. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fol. 144.

32. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1, fol. 187.

33. NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1764-1813, CH2/326/5, fol. 74.

34. Statistical Account of Scotland, (1791), v, 106.

35. Ibid, 114.

36. New Statistical Account of Scotland, (1836), ix, 274.

Bibliography

NRS Presbytery of Kirkcaldy, Minutes, 1630-1653, CH2/224/1.

NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1626-1655, CH2/326/1.

NRS Scoonie Kirk Session, 1764-1813, CH2/326/5.

Acts and Proceedings of the General Assemblies of the Kirk of Scotland, 1839-45, ed. T. Thomson (Bannatyne Club), Edinburgh.        

Calendar of entries in the Papal registers relating to Great Britain and Ireland; Papal letters, 1893-, ed. W.H. Bliss, London.

Calendar of Scottish Supplications to Rome 1423-28, 1956, ed. A.I. Dunlop, (Scottish History Society) Edinburgh.

Calendar of Scottish Supplications to Rome 1447-71, 1997, ed. J. Kirk, R.J. Tanner and A.I. Dunlop, Edinburgh.

Cowan, I.B., 1967, The parishes of medieval Scotland, (Scottish Record Society), Edinburgh.

Donaldson, G., 1949, Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices, (Scottish History Society), Edinburgh.

Kirk, J., 1995, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, (British Academy) Oxford.

Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree in Scotia, 1841, ed. T. Thomson (Bannatyne Club), Edinburgh.

Mackinley, J.M, 1914, Ancient Church Dedications in Scotland. Non-Scriptural Dedications, Edinburgh.

New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45, Edinburgh and London.

Regesta Regum Scottorum, Acts of William I (1165-1214), 1971, Edinburgh.

Scotia pontificia papal letters to Scotland before the Pontificate of Innocent III, 1982, ed. R. Somerville, Oxford.

Statistical Account of Scotland, 1791-9, ed. J. Sinclair, Edinburgh.

Taylor, S & Markus G., 2008, The Place-Names of Fife.Volume Two. Central Fife between the Rovers Leven and Eden.

Architectural description

Scoonie may have been a location of Christian worship of considerable antiquity, because an early cross slab has been found here that is now in the National Museums of Scotland in Edinburgh. It is decorated with a hunting scene and an Ogham inscription.(1)

The parish was granted to the Culdee community of Loch Leven by Bishop Tuthald of St Andrews at a date between 1055 and 1059, and it passed to St Andrews along with Loch Leven’s other property through a grant of Bishop Robert of between 1126 and 1156. The initial grant was only of the patronage, but the parsonage was annexed in two phases by Bishops Malvoisin (1202-38) and de Bernham (1239-53). The cure was a vicarage perpetual.(2) Bishop de Bernham carried out one of his many dedications here on 30 May 1243.(3)

Some repairs were being carried out on the church in the 1640s.(4) However, it was demolished after a new church was built at a more convenient location in Leven in 1775. It was said that the church had been on a small eminence that continued in use for burials,(5) and it was subsequently stated that the remains of the church were used as a burial place by the proprietor of the Durie estate.(6)

Those remains consist of a small ashlar-built enclosure of 4.5 by 4 metres with segmental-arched openings in the east and north walls, which houses a number of memorials to the Christie of Durie family. Since the ground falls away to the east and north it appears likely that the enclosure is at the eastern end of the site of the medieval church, but it would be difficult to identify any part of it as being likely to have formed part of that church.

Notes

1. J. Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson, The Early Christian Monuments of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1903, pt 3, p. 523.

2. Ian B. Cowan, The Parishes of Medieval Scotland (Scottish Record Society), 1967, p. 181.

3. Alan Orr Anderson, Early Sources of Scottish History, Edinburgh, 1922, p. 523.

4. National Records of Scotland, Scoonie Kirk Session, 1625-55, CH2/326/1, fols 35, 112 and 187.

5. Statistical Account of Scotland, 1791-9, vol. 5, p. 106

6. New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45, vol. 9, p. 274.