Bourtie Old Church

Introduction

The current parish church of Bourtie was built in the early 19th century (see separate site), but a much older church (or churches) is known to have existed on the site, within the current graveyard. The site is rural and fairly remote, hidden away on a south-facing slope and surrounded by mature trees. 

A church has existed in Bourtie since the medieval period, first mentioned in around 1200 and belonging to the Priory of St Andrews. The parish of Bourtie has been united with Meldrum in the early 17th century and later disjoined again. There are a number of surviving fragments of this early church, including a piece of carved gallery front, dated 1669, and two medieval stone effigies, one said to be that of Thomas de longville who died nearby in 1308. There is also said to be a fragment of Pictish stone built into the east end of the current church.