Rothesay, parish (Bute)

Grid reference

NS 086 637 (accurate position)

Six-figure easting & northing

208600 663700

Latitude

55.8285414556489

Longitude

-5.056207988146194

County

Bute

Nearby places

St Mary's Well, Rothesay (0 miles)

Cill Bhruic, eccles., Rothesay (0 miles)

Ladykirk, St Mary's Church, Rothesay (Bute) (0.06 miles)

Columshill, Rothesay (Bute) (0.56 miles)

St Bride's Chapel, Rothesay (Bute) (0.71 miles)

Object Classification

Parish (extant in 1975)

Is linear feature?

No

Notes

NGR for Rothesay parish kirk, on medieval site, with medieval work still incorporated.

Relationships with other parishes

Within Kingarth, parish (Bute)

Contains North Bute, modern parish (formerly)

Parish details

Rothesay

Parish TLA

ROT

County

Bute

Medieval diocese

Isles

Parish notes

Until the thirteenth century, there was one parish - that of Kingarth - for the whole island of Bute. But by the end of the thirteenth century, Rothesay had its own church. In the mid-nineteenth century, Rothesay itself was subdivided, the lands around the burgh remaining in Rothesay parish, but much of the rest being erected into the new parish of North Bute (see Márkus 2012, The Place-Names of Bute). Dedicated to St Mary, described as the abbacie of Rothesay in 1407 . See Cowan 1967, 174 for (much) more detail. OPS ii (1), 221: This parish includes the northern and larger portion of the island of Bute, together with the island of Inchmarnoch. it also includes Loch Fad and is bounded on the south chiefly by Loch Quien and Loch Ascog. ibid. p.223. The original church of Rothesay appears to have been dedicated to St Brieuc or Brioc. Source is OSA. Brux day fair is still held in the town. 1 May. [ibid. 239: Acc. to NSA there are 3 annual fairs held in Rothesay, namely 1 Wed. May, 3rd Wed. in July; and last Wed. Oct., the first of which is called St Brux day or Brux day fair. Note that the med. charters granting fairs mention only 2 yearly fairs, one 22 July and one 23 Oct. ] 223-4 - also a royal chapel of St Bride in burgh of Rothesay. First ref.1445 Compota Camer. 3, 420, 449 224 - ‘There was a chapel dedicated to St Columba, but .. no mention of its site. In 1516 James V granted to sir Patrick Makbard the chaplainry of St Columba in the isle of Bute - ref. RSS v, fol.57.