A Corpus of Scottish Medieval
Parish Churches

Historical outline

There is no surviving evidence for the independent functioning of this church before the Reformation, its history being entirely bound up with that of the archdeaconry of Brechin, to which it was annexed.  As one of the principal dignities of the chapter of Brechin, it is likely that the archdeaconry was instituted during the twelfth-century reform of the diocese and the fruits of Strachan may have been united to it at that time to support the archdeacon’s prebend. 

The first reference to the annexation occurs in Bagimond’s Roll in 1274,(1) where it was noted as fully annexed to the prebend; the cure was served by a vicar pensioner.  In the 1430s, the archdeacon was pursued by his vicar through the bishop’s court for non-payment of his stipend, the bishop arresting the fruits of the church of Strachan to pay the arrears.(2)

Notes

1. SHS Misc, vi, 52.

2. Registrum Episcopatus Brechinensis, ii, Appendix, no.37.

Summary of relevant documentation

Medieval

Synopsis of Cowan’s Parishes: The parsonage and vicarage were annexed to the archdeaconry of Brechin before 1274, with the cure a vicarage perpetual.(1)

Mackinlay suggests that the church was probably dedicated to the Virgin Mary.(2)

[No pre-Reformation references]

Post-medieval

Books of assumption of thirds of benefices and Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices: The Parish church pertains to archdeaconry of Brechin parsonage and vicarage, total value £176. Vicarage perpetual value £26.(3)

Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev John Ramsay, 1792): ‘A new church [was built] last year, which is well finished in every respect’.(4)

New Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev David Scott  Fergusson, 1842): ‘The parish church was built about 40 years ago’.(5)

[Neither account refers to church buildings from prior to 1791]

Notes

1. Cowan, The parishes of medieval Scotland, 189.

2. Mackinlay, Scriptural Dedications, p. 105.

3. Kirk, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, 380.

4. Statistical Account of Scotland, (1792), v, 376.

5. New Statistical Account of Scotland, (1842), xi, 240.

Bibliography

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

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

Mackinlay, J.M, 1910, Ancient Church Dedications in Scotland. Scriptural Dedications, Edinburgh.

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

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

Architectural description

The parsonage and vicarage of Strachan were appropriated to the archdeaconry of Brechin, with the cure served by a pensionary vicar.(1) A dedication of the church was carried out by Bishop David de Bernham on 16 June 1242.(2)

A new church was built around the 1790s, but it is not clear if this was on the site of the old church or on a different site. In the Statistical Account it was said to have been built ‘last year’,(3) while in the New Statistical Account it was stated to have been ‘about forty years ago’.(4) According to the latter it was repaired and an additional gallery inserted in 1837, but in 1867 a new church was built across the road from the old churchyard,(5) to the designs of James Matthews.(6) That latest church is itself no longer in use for worship and appears to be in process of adaptation as a house.

The medieval church is assumed to have stood within the old graveyard of Strachan. Its precise location is uncertain, though it may be noted that there are fragmentary footings on an east west alignment towards the eastern end of the upper part of the churchyard. It must be conceded that these could be relics of either the church of the 1790s or of a burial enclosure, but the possibility that they survive from the medieval church cannot be ruled out.

Notes

1. Ian B. Cowan, The Parishes of Medieval Scotland (Scottish Record Society), 1967, p. 189.

2. Alan Orr Anderson, Early Sources of Scottish History, Edinburgh, 1922, vol. 2, p. 522.

3. Statistical Account of Scotland, 1791-99, vol. 5, p. 376.

4. New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45, vol. 11, p. 240.

5. Francis H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, vol. 6, 1885.

6. Jane Geddes, Deeside and the Mearns, an Illustrated Architectural Guide, Edinburgh, 2001, p. 101.