St Kessog's Chapel, Muthill

Grid reference

NN 855 153 (assumed location)

Six-figure easting & northing

285500 715300

Latitude

56.316332425531485

Longitude

-3.8513339404712754

County

Perthshire

Nearby places

Lady's Well, Muthill (1.15 miles)

Muthill, parish (1.29 miles)

St Cattan's Well, Muthill (1.33 miles)

St James's Church, Episcopal Muthill (1.33 miles)

Culwhattock, settlement, Muthill (2.31 miles)

Object Classification

Ecclesiastical

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

In 1542 the chapel and holy bell of St Kessog appear in a grant to David Lord Drummond, associated with Cultezaldych (= OS Culticheldoch NN8415) Struhill (= OS Struthill NN8515) and the now lost Barneclis, which may represent Gaelic 'barr na h-eaglaise' (hill of the church). There is a chapel at the NGR given, close to Struthill ande Culticheldoch, and this has been assumed to be the chapel of St Kessog mentioned in 1542 (RMS iii no. 2825). The recurrence of the grouping Struthill, Barnacles and the chapel and holy bell of St Kessog in several documents over a long period is notable. Some modern commentators have suggested that the chapel at this site was dedicated to St Patrick, but this suggestion depends on layers of confusion (see Norval Smith, forthcoming). NMRS records a chapel here, ordered to be destroyed in 1650, which was supposed to be 'effectual in curing madness' (Canmore ID: 25329). A. L. Rankin, Chronicles of Strathearn (1896) protested at the treatment of this chapel: 'At Struthill, two miles south of Muthill, both chapel walls and ancient burial-ground remained till about 50 years ago, when they were shamefully turned—the one into dyke material, and the consecrated soil and remains into top-dressing for corn land. The sacred well was also run off into a drain, and the site marked by a modern cattle trough.' In the eighteenth century we find the following remarks (Geog. Coll. i, 132): About a mile southwest from Muthill, upon the south side of the water of Mahiny is ane old ruinous popish Cheaple, where the supersticious people used to bind distracted persons, upon a large stone in the middle of it, and it has been reported that they have been loos'd and restored to their right wits against (sic) the next morning. But there are none living that can give certain accounts of its having such effects. Near unto this Cheaple is a well, which the ignorant and supersticious people pay a great respect unto and from which they expect cures to be wrought upon themselves and upon their beasts. And their custome is to leave something at it, as a penny, a clout, a parte of the beasts hair or any such trifle as ane offering to the Sainct. But ministers especially since the Revolution have spoken so much against it, and the supersticions used at it, that few dare now avowedly frequent it. To put a stop to the abominable supersticions used at this Chappell the Presbytery of Auchterarder about the year 1650 ordered the wals of it to be thrown down so that ever since there is no more there but a heap of stones, yet it was long after that frequented by the ignorant and superstitious.'

http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/

Relationships with other parishes

Within Muthill, parish

Within Muthill, parish