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Summary

Description

Early 18th century and later. Important collection of gravestones dating from at least 1720, some finely carved with well-preserved death emblems, to S, E and W of church building; area of graveyard to N still in use 2008, and all within rubble walled enclosure prominently sited on raised ground adjacent to hamlet of Kinnell and overlooking Angus countryside in all directions.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: earlier stones predominantly of moulded apex design with variety of emblems including tailors trade emblems of scissors, flat iron and goose iron; emblems of mortality showing winged souls, skulls and crossbones; intricate heraldic devices. Heraldic devices appear on stone dated 1746 and on unusual double stone. Some chest tomb/table stones, including tomb with winged souls over crown and cartouche dated 1756. 19th century stones include gothic detailing and urn-finialled marble column.

GATEPIERS, GATES AND ENCLOSURE WALLS: principal entrance to W with quadrant walls, tall ball-finialled square-section ashlar gatepiers and 2-leaf decorative ironwork gates. Pedestrian gate to E (former access to manse) of similarly-detailed ironwork. Coped rubble enclosure walls.

Statement of Special Interest

The Kinnell Parish Church graveyard contains a remarkable collection of early, well-preserved stones with a good variety of death emblems. The site occupies a strikingly visible position and was clearly selected for purpose. The former manse, a good red sandstone building, is located immediately to the south of the enclosure wall. Part of a slightly later range, probably contemporary with the rebuilding of the church, incorporated into the west enclosure wall has been converted to a dwelling. The church itself which appears to have been rebuilt on an earlier site probably dates from the mid to later years of the 19th century and was made the subject of a dangerous buildings notice by Angus Council in February 2005.

In her book on Scottish Graveyards, E C Willsher quotes epitaphs from two stones in Kinnell Church Graveyard. One, dated 1720, commemorates a gardener, "The truth of all if you will ken / He still was loved of honest men"; and the other from 1731, "For neither airt though fine, nor skill ere can / Exime us from the common lot of man. / Since it is so that all we hence must pass / And die like to the flowers, and to the grass".

References

Bibliography

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