Tongland Parish Church sits in the graveyard at Tongland alongside the remains of its predecessor, and most likly on the site of the medieval Abbey of Tongland.

As you can see from the video above, it is in a poor condition, now roofless, having been last used for worship in the 1930’s.

Canmore Link http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/215036/

Historic Scotland Listed Building http://data.historic-scotland.gov.uk/pls/htmldb/f?p=2200:15:0::::BUILDING:17127

Buildings at Risk Register http://www.buildingsatrisk.org.uk/details/895400

E. M. H. McKerlie writting in her ‘Pilgrim Spots in Galloway’ in 1916 tells us that she believed Lochelletun (Lochelton) was proably the original name for the Parish or church, probably Keton Old.   She tells us the name was mentioned in a grant to the Abbey of Holyrood by Uchtred, Lord of Galloway.

She writes that Kelron, or Lochellettun, had belonged to the Columban monks, and it then passed to Holyrood under a grant of  William the Lion, confirmed in the 13th Century by John, Bishop of Galloway

The Loch reffered to in the name would be Carlingwark Loch, now in Castle Douglas.

Fir Island sitting in Carlingwark Loch, Castle Douglas is relativly small.  There are local traditions that the island may have been the home of a small Chapel, but there are no remains visible on the Island.

In the 1st Statistical account of Scotland published in the 1790’s (vol III 297-307) the write of the Kelton account states :

“There was always a tradition in the parish, that there had been a town in the loch, which sunk, or was drowned; and that there were two churches or chapels, one on each of the two large isles”

The other isle mentioned is probably Ash Island.

Other references:

Canmore link: http://canmore.org.uk/site/64675/fir-island

Places of Worship in Scotland link: http://scottishchurches.org.uk/sites/site/id/9718

View a location map: View Fir Island on gridreferencefinder.com

Images:

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Constructed in 1831 on the side of a hill beside the old remains of the old church of 1771, mainly the Gordon Aisle, 1546, burial place of the Gordons of Lochinvar.   and the ‘King’s Ford’, on the Pilgrimage route to Whithorn. Construction is whinstone and sandstone walls and a slate roof. It is in full ecclesiastical use and in good condition.    The vestry sits apart from the church, with the old church aisle clearly visible as a burial lair today. Records are scarce, but a dilapidated church, existed in 1427.

The church is listed in the Scottish Churches Site here

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Kelton Parish Church was constructed in 1805 uphill and over looking the site of the Old Parish Church which still survives as an old graveyard.  only one very small section of the old church still survives holding up a memorial stone.

The church is still in use today.

A bit of its history can be found here  and the Scottish Churches entry can be found here

Images – 13th December 2013

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Buittle Parish Church was constructed in 1819 with Sandstone used for the main walls and slate for the roof.  It was built on rising ground close to the old Medieval church  and eventually closed for public worship on the 11th July 2010.  A few pictures of the interior are available on the Linked Charges website

The Church is listed on the Scottish Churches website here

Images 12th December 2013

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Kirkbride, Anwoth Parish

A church and graveyard are mentioned in the 1914 RCAHMS Inventory, but only as a supposed site.  It is described as being 1/4  of a mile north-west from Kirkbride Farm.

Over the years the RCAHMS have presumed this to be the site of a Church and Graveyard, but in 1994 a visit to the site prompted the assessment that it is probably prehistoric in nature ‘There is no field evidence to suggest the presence of a church, and the enclosure is more likely to represent the remains of a prehistoric settlement’.

Only a geophysical survey of the site would be able to confirm the presence of a church within the enclosure, and a graveyard.

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To do:  other historical Research, and site visit for image.  Geophysical  survey?

Rutherford’s Well

This Well is located on the edge of the wood, around 200 meters to the east of Anwoth Old Kirk.   It is not recorded in the RCAHMS Inventory of 1914, and information about it is very sketchy.  It is named after the Minister of Anworth, Samuel Rutherford, between 1627-39.

It is highly probable that this is a fairly modern ‘well’ as it is really a shallow pool fed by a spring, with a small modern structure covering it.

The RCAHMS visited in 2012 and tend to agree with the ‘modern view’  see http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/63639/details/rutherford+s+well for details.

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To do:  Further historical research.