Documents

Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).

The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM90001_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014541)

Summary

Description

The monument comprises those elements of St Machar's Cathedral that are not in ecclesiastical use as the parish church of Old Machar, the surrounding graveyard, excluding lairs for which burial rights survive at the date of scheduling.

The parts of the cathedral that do not form part of the present parish church comprise the transepts and the foundations of the eastern piers of the great central tower, which collapsed in 1688. These elements appear to date from the later 14th century onwards, but probably overlie buried remains of the first cathedral, begun between c.1130 and 1165, the choir of which was substantially rebuilt by Bishop Henry Cheyne (1282-1328).

The walls of the transepts now stand to a height of about 3m. The N transept, or St John's aisle, was built in 1424 by Bishop Henry Lichton and contains his tomb. The S transept was remodelled in 1522 by Bishop Gavin Dunbar (1518-32), whose tomb remains there. The choir, which Dunbar also began to rebuild, was left incomplete at the time of his death and was destroyed after 1560; but structural remains and archaeological deposits may be expected to survive beneath the present land surface.

The scheduled area comprises the remains described, the ground underlying these remains and the wall surrounding the graveyard and the whole area enclosed by it. It should be noted that the cathedral now in use as the parish church and also the principal SW gate and its lodges are not part of thie designation. The area measures some 134m E-W by 85m N-S, as shown outlined in red on the plan annexed and executed as relative hereto.

Statement of National Importance

The monument is of national importance because of the information that it provides about medieval religious architecture and medieval and later funerary sculpture. In addition, its below-ground archaeological deposits and structural remains have the potential to contribute further to our understanding of the origins and early development of the religious use of the site.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.