St. Serf's Old Parish Church

Description

St. Serf's Old Parish Church, Dysart - Kirkcaldy and Dysart, Fife - Places of Worship in Scotland | SCHR

A church was built near to St. Serf's Cave (site no. 10547) in the early thirteenth century. However, this was replaced by the old parish church in the approximately 1500 and there are no visible remains.

St. Serf has been associated with Dysart since the eighth century, when he used caves close to the site of the old parish church as a retreat (see site number: 10547).    A church of which there are no visible remains was built near the caves in the early thirteenth century and was dedicated in 1245, but  was replaced by another church c.1500, the remains of which can still be seen today.    The large 22m high tower was added to this church slightly later. This old parish church was replaced by a new church (site number: 4631) in 1802 and the north aisle was mostly destroyed in 1807 by a new road linking the harbour with the town.      In the graveyard there are mainly table stones some with sextant trade emblems. and ruins of a mort-house to the southeast.    This site is surrounded by a saddle backed coped rubble wall which on its northern side incorporates the two remaining arches of the arcade which would have separated the nave from the northern aisle.   There is a sign on the northern boundary wall indicating the site of the old church manse.

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