THE OLD PARISH CHURCH OF CULROSS, Perthshire.
A ruinous structure, situated about one mile north-west from the abbey. It is a plain oblong ([Fig. 645]), 71 feet long by 16 feet wide (inside), with walls about 3 feet thick, but parts of them have been recently rebuilt on the old foundations. It is thus impossible to say what the original arrangement of doors and windows may have been, only one small pointed window, which seems to be original, remaining next the south doorway. A north and south doorway face one another towards the west end, but these have evidently been inserted at a late date. Both doorways have straight lintels ([Fig. 646]), and these consist of ancient tombstones, carved with foliaged crosses and swords ([Fig. 647]).
Fig. 645.—The Old Parish Church of Culross. Plan.
Fig. 646.—The Old Parish Church of Culross. Interior, looking East.
Numerous other recumbent tombstones are found in the church, and some have been placed against the east wall when it was rebuilt. A top stone containing the socket for a cross is preserved at the east end. The south doorway has probably had a porch.
This church had apparently fallen into decay before the Reformation, for in 1633 an Act was passed making the abbey the parish church, and stating that the abbey church had been used for preaching since the Reformation, and that the church called the “Parioche Kirk, where service is not nor has been since the memory of man, is altogether ruinous, decayed, and fallen down in certain parts.”