Kincardine O'Neil Old Parish Church

Description

Kincardine O'Neil Old Parish Church and Hospital - Kincardine O'neil, Grampian - Places of Worship in Scotland | SCHR

Kincardine O'Neil Old Church is located alongside North Deeside Road, which runs through the centre of the village. The church is surrounded by a roughly-rectangular burial ground, part of which was destroyed when the road mentioned above was constructed in the 19th century.

The church is thought to stand on, or near, the site of the first church established by St Erchard, the patron saint of Kincardine O'Neil, who brought Christianity here in the 5th century. He was taught at nearby Banchory by St Ternan. The church is located near a river (as common in early Christian sites), in this case the River Dee. There was an important river crossing point here, on the main route between Strathmore and Mar.

The current church remains are thought to date to the 14th century. It was recorded that the church was built as a gift by Duncan, Earl of Fife. Alexander Kyninmund, Bishop of Aberdeen, rebuilt the church some time in the mid 14th century. A hospital was attached to the east of the church (thought to be in 1330) but was demolished some time before the church itself went out of use, leaving just the foundation stones (There was also an earlier hospital site in Kincardine O'Neil - see other site, 'Kincardine O'Neil Hospital Site'.). The church became ruinous after a new church was built in 1862. The interior was later converted into burial plots. The graveyard surrounding the church has many gravestones, mostly from the 19th century.

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