The current church was built in 1750-1, between 50 and 100 metres east of the original church, in rubble (with cement rendering) with a slate roof. It is a plain, rectangular block, measured at 82ft by 60ft. A porch and vestry were added to the west, while the east wall contained the original entrance. The south wall was rebuilt in around 1940. The walls of the church feature a moulded cornice at eave level. The interior features a three-sided gallery (west, north and east walls) and the pulpit is centrally located. The interior was renovated in the 1940s. J. Dowling, 9/12/04.
The remains of the old parish church of St Ninians occupy a site which has been in continuous ecclesiastical use since at least the mid-12th century. The parish church of Eccles, as it was first called, is mentioned in a document of about 1150, while about a century later it is referred to as the church of St Ninian of Kirketoun, a name which the village retained until the 18th century. In 1746, the church was used as a powder magazine by the Jacobite army, and on its retreat an explosion completely destroyed most of the building.
Of the churches that presumably succeeded each other on the same site, there survive only part of a detached pier with its capital, the E portion of the chancel, and the steeple which is virtually intact. This latter was begun in 1734. Taken together, however, the remaining evidence suggests that the church of 1746 consisted of an aisled nave of 15th century date to which a square-ended chancel was added in the first half of the 16th century. The steeple replaced an earlier tower in the same position.
The chancel remains stand 99'10" E of the steeple; built of sandstone ashlar, it measures 25'2" x 25'6" over 2'10" thick walls. A burial aisle, which still survives, was added to the N of the chancel about 100 years after the chancel was erected. It measures 10'11" x 16'5".
There was a church here by the middle of the 12th century and a small, weathered, lOth or 11th century cross in the churchyard suggests that the site was in use before this. Apart from the tower the remains of the church blown up in 1746 are fragmentary and show no features of earlier than the 15th century.
Your final coordinates are N 56 0A BCD W 003 5E FGH
Start at the listed coordinates which are at the churchyard gate facing down Kirk Wynd:
A= The gate has a gold padlock, what is the first digit on it?
B= number of windows below the clock face visible from the gate.
C= 3rd digit on the street sign to the right of the gate.
D= Number on top right of the clock face divided by 3.
In the current church grounds you will find 2 graves within a small metal fence belonging to a Baronet & his wife:
E=The date in 2? May Dame Mary died.
F=The last 2 numbers added together in Dame Mary's year of death.
G=The Baronet was born 5th July in which year. You need 2nd digit of the year
H=The Baronet was minister of labour from 1H24 until 1H29
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For full information on how you can expand the Church Micro series by sadexploration please read the Place your own Church Micro page before you contact him at churchmicro.co.uk
See also the Church Micro Statistics and Home pages for further information about the series.
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