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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Culross Abbey Church
Culross
Fife
A listed
Scotland
Culross was originally a Cistercian monastery, founded in 1217 by Malcolm, the Seventh Earl of Fife. Considerable portions of the building still remain. The church itself, however, has passed through numerous vicissitudes and appears to have been altered and adapted at so many different periods that it is difficult to form any definite opinion of its original appearance. Previous to the beginning of last century, it appears largely to have fallen into decay and to have been \"restored\" in the style then so prevalent, when galleries were introduced, the walls and ceilings lathed and plastered, and new windows formed, with a total disregard to the evidences of the existing work. In the restoration which has just been completed the whole of the modern renovation has been cleared out, and the building reinstated in accordance with the evidences of the old work. The floor of the church has been lowered to its original level, and an entirely new roof erected. The interior of the walls, which are of scabbled ashlar, have again been exposed, along with all the moulded and ornamental work, and the old windows, etc . traces of which were found, have been repaired. The south transept aisle, which had at some period been demolished, has been re-built upon the old foundations. During the work considerable remains of the early monastic buildings, hitherto unknown, have been excavated, and ground on the south side of the church cleared away, exposing the original basis of the building at a considerable depth below the level of the ground, which had at some period been made up, probably being used as a depository for the excavations from the foundations of the adjoining Abbey House. The work has been carried out under the direction of Messrs Sir Rowand Anderson, LL.D, and Paul, architects, Edinburgh. [Building News 18 January 1907 p95]

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
ChurchNot Known

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
1823Extensive repairs
1869Repairs to roof and session house
1878Repairs to vaulting and roof
19021905Plans prepared for restoration
19051906Restoration and new organ case
1923Alterations to pulpit

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
William Stirling IB1824Extensive repairs
William Stirling IIB1824Extensive repairs
George HalleyC1869Repairs to roof and session house
George HalleyD1878Repairs to vaulting and roof
(Sir) Robert Rowand AndersonE19021906Restoration
Arthur Forman Balfour PaulE19031906Restoration
James GillespieE19031906Restoration - as chief assistant to Rowand Anderson & Paul
Rowand Anderson & PaulE19031906Restoration
Peter Macgregor ChalmersE1905Restoration - apparently completing restoration begun by R R Anderson. Also new organ case (executed by Mackay & Co)
Arthur Forman Balfour PaulF1923Alterations to pulpit
Rowand Anderson & PaulF1923Alterations to pulpit - Paul responsible

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Cunningham, Andrew S1910Culross: past and presentLevenp 19
Gifford, John1988Fife (The Buildings of Scotland)pp 146-151
Pride, Glen L1999The Kingdom of Fife2nd EditionThe Rutland Pressp25

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:

period ref classic

Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Builder1903LXXXIVp 257
Builder1906/12/01XCIp 637
Building News1907/01/18XCIIp 95
British Architect1903/04/17p274 - Cost £5,000

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
RIBA Archive, Victoria & Albert MuseumRIBA Nomination PapersJames Gillespie: L v17 no1289
National Archives of Scotland (formerly SRO)Heritors RecordsHR158/1: 22 January 1869; HR 158/2: 14 October 1878, 24 May 1902, 27 July 1902, 12 February 1904, 5 April 1905, 26 July 1923 etc.
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register23960