Drainie Carved Stones

Last updated

The Drainie carved stones are a collection of 32 Pictish stones originating from the important early medieval monastic settlement of Kinneddar on the outskirts of the modern town of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland. Despite their name the majority were discovered at Kinneddar - the location of the manse of the parish of Drainie from which they take their name - rather than the separate settlement of Drainie which lay several miles to the west.

The 32 stone fragments probably represent the remains of ten cross-slabs, three free-standing crosses and at least eight panels from stone shrine chests. [1] Some of the sculpture is unfinished showing that it was produced on-site at Kinneddar. [2]

TypeDateDimensionsLocation foundDate foundCurrent locationNotes
Drainie 1Symbol stone7th centuryH 0.75m x W 0.63m x D 0.10mDrainie Manse, Kinneddar1855Lost [3]
Drainie 2Cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.28m x W 0.19m x D 0.08mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin Museum [4]
Drainie 3Cross-slab fragments9th or 10th centuryH 0.16m x W 0.30m x 0.06mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumBroken into two fragments, Drainie 3 formed part of the same cross slab as Drainie 8. [5]
Drainie 4Cross-slab fragment9th centuryH 0.23m x W 0.19m x D 0.10mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin Museum [6]
Drainie 5Carved fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.08m x W 0.16mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumProbably part of the same monument as Drainie 24, which was probably a shrine panel. [7]
Drainie 6Carved fragment8th centuryH 0.16m x W 0.16m x D 0.09mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumSmall fragment of a panel or cross-slab. [8]
Drainie 7Cross fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.10m x W 0.13m x D 0.05mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumMay have formed part of a slender cross-shaft, that could have supported a cross-head such as Drainie 9. [9]
Drainie 8Cross-slab fragment9th or 10th centuryH 0.25m x W 0.16m x W 0.08mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumPart of the same cross slab as Drainie 3. [10]
Drainie 9Cross fragment9th centuryH 0.18m x W 0.15m x D 0.05mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumProbably part of the side arm of a ringed cross. [11]
Drainie 10Cross-shaft fragment9th centuryH 0.28m x W 0.28m x D 0.13mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumPart of a slender tapered cross-shaft. [12]
Drainie 11Cross-slab fragment9th centuryH 0.26m x W 0.48m x D 0.11mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin Museum [13]
Drainie 12Cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.38m x W 0.33m x D 0.33mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin Museum [14]
Drainie 13Shrine panel fragment9th or 10th centuryH 0.46m x W 0.34m x D 0.06mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumCarvings include images of parts of two galloping horses with five human figures beneath. [15]
Drainie 14Carved fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.45m x W 0.27m x D 0.04mKinneddar Old Kirkyard1884Elgin Museum, on loan from National Museums ScotlandCarvings include images of parts of two galloping horses with five human figures beneath. [16]
Drainie 15Cross-slab fragments9th or 10th centuryH 0.31m x W 0.31m x D 0.06mKinneddar Old Kirkyard1900Elgin MuseumTwo fragments of the top-left hand corner of a cross-slab. [17]
Drainie 16Carved fragment8th centuryH 0.46m x W 0.46m x D 0.18mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumHigh relief carving ofh part of a scene showing David rending the jaws of a lion. [18]
Drainie 17Cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.43m x W 0.61m x D 0.09mKinneddarIn or before 1855Elgin MuseumPossibly part of a cross-slab or possibly part of an altar frontal. [19]
Drainie 18Shrine panel fragments8th or 9th centuryH 0.66m x W 0.93m x D 0.08mKinneddar Old Kirkyard1939Elgin MuseumFour adjacent fragments of a shrine panel. [20]
Drainie 19Unfinished cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.45m x W 0.25m x D 0.06mKinneddar Old Kirkyard1960Elgin MuseumFragment of a highly irregular cross-slab carving, suggesting that it is part of an unfinished monument. [21]
Drainie 20Carved fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.18m x W 0.11m x D 0.02mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumVery thin fragment - more likely to be part of a panel than a cross-slab. [22]
Drainie 21Carved fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.16m x W 0.22m x D 0.05mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumVery thin fragment - more likely to be part of a panel than a cross-slab. [23]
Drainie 22Cross-shaft fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.23m x W 0.16m x D 0.09mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumPart of a slender cross-shaft. [24]
Drainie 23Shrine panel fragment8th centuryH 0.22m x W 0.25m x D 0.06mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumPossibly part of the same monument as Drainie 26. [25]
Drainie 24Shrine panel fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.30m x W 0.27m x D 0.09mKinneddar Old Kirkyard1978Elgin MuseumProbably part of the same monument as Drainie 5, which was probably a shrine panel. [26]
Drainie 25Cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.15m x W 0.19m x D 0.09mKinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumForms part of the side of a cross-slab with Drainie 27. [27]
Drainie 26Shrine panel fragment8th centuryH 0.15m x W 0.24m x D 0.09mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumForms part of the top right-hand side of a shrine panel alongside Drainie 28. Possibly part of the same monument at Drainie 23. [28]
Drainie 27Cross-slab fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.26m x W 0.20m x D 0.09mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumForms part of the side of a cross-slab with Drainie 25. [29]
Drainie 28Shrine panel fragment8th centuryH 0.08m x W 0.08m x D 0.09mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumForms part of the top right-hand side of a shrine panel alongside Drainie 26. Possibly part of the same monument at Drainie 23. [30]
Drainie 29Shrine panel fragment8th centuryH 0.19m x W 0.18m x D 0.08mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumPart of the top of a hybrid post-and-panel, or the end-panel of a shrine. [31]
Drainie 30Carved fragment8th or 9th centuryH 0.12m x W 0.14m x D 0.07mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumSmall fragment, possibly part of a cross-slab. [32]
Drainie 31Carved fragmentUncertainH 0.18m x W 0.18mIn or near Kinneddar Old KirkyardAfter 1936Elgin MuseumSeverely damaged carved fragment. [33]
Drainie 32Cross-slab fragmentUncertainH 0.46m x W 0.38m x D 0.08mGordonstoun Schoolc. 1965Elgin MuseumDiscovered at Gordonstoun School in a dump of stones removed from the Old Kirk at Drainie when it was demolished for the extension of the runway of RAF Lossiemouth in 1953. Probably originated at Kinneddar as stone from Kinneddar was used in the construction of Drainie Kirk in the 17th century. [34]

Related Research Articles

Skara Brae Neolithic archaeological site in Scotland

Skara Brae is a stone-built Neolithic settlement, located on the Bay of Skaill on the west coast of Mainland, the largest island in the Orkney archipelago of Scotland. Consisting of ten clustered houses, made of flagstones, in earthen dams that provided support for the walls; the houses included stone hearths, beds, and cupboards. A primitive sewer system, with "toilets" and drains in each house, carried effluent to the ocean.

Dufftown Human settlement in Scotland

Dufftown is a burgh in Moray, Scotland. While the town is part of the historic Mortlach parish, the town was established and laid out in the early 19th century as part of a planned new town settlement. The town has several listed 19th century buildings and serves as a regional centre for agriculture, tourism and services. The town is well known for its whisky based economy, as it produces more whisky than any other town in Scotland and is home to several existing and former distilleries.

Lossiemouth Human settlement in Scotland

Lossiemouth is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, it became an important fishing town. Although there has been over 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over the past 250 years and consists of four separate communities that eventually merged into one. From 1890 to 1975, it was a police burgh as Lossiemouth and Branderburgh.

Pictish stone Monuments erected by early Scottish tribes

A Pictish stone is a type of monumental stele, generally carved or incised with symbols or designs. A few have ogham inscriptions. Located in Scotland, mostly north of the Clyde-Forth line and on the Eastern side of the country, these stones are the most visible remaining evidence of the Picts and are thought to date from the 6th to 9th century, a period during which the Picts became Christianized. The earlier stones have no parallels from the rest of the British Isles, but the later forms are variations within a wider Insular tradition of monumental stones such as high crosses. About 350 objects classified as Pictish stones have survived, the earlier examples of which holding by far the greatest number of surviving examples of the mysterious symbols, which have long intrigued scholars.

Paisley Abbey Church in Paisley, Scotland

Paisley Abbey is a parish church of the Church of Scotland on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, about 7 miles west of Glasgow, in Scotland. Its origins date from the 12th century, based on a former Cluniac monastery. Following the Reformation in the 16th century, it became a Church of Scotland parish kirk.

Linlithgow Town in Scotland

Linlithgow is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It was historically West Lothian's county town, reflected in the county's historical name of Linlithgowshire. An ancient town, it lies in the Central Belt on an historic route between Edinburgh and Falkirk beside Linlithgow Loch. The town is situated approximately 20 miles west of Edinburgh.

Spynie

Spynie was a seaport, burgh and ancient parish in Moray, Scotland, that survives as a small hamlet and civil parish. It is the location of the ruins of Spynie Palace, which was the principal residence of the Bishops of Moray between the 12th and 17th centuries, and the churchyard of Holy Trinity Church, Spynie, which served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1207 and 1224.

Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum Museum in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, UK

The Meigle Sculptured Stone Museum is a permanent exhibition of 27 carved Pictish stones in the centre of the village of Meigle in eastern Scotland. It lies on the A94 road running from Coupar Angus to Forfar. The museum occupies the former parish school, built 1844. The collection of stones implies that an important church was located nearby, or perhaps a monastery. There is an early historical record of the work of Thana, son of Dudabrach, who was at Meigle in the middle of the 9th century during the reign of King Pherath. Thana was likely to have been a monk serving as a scribe in a local monastery that could have been founded in the 8th century. The stones contained in the museum were all found near Meigle, mostly in the neighbouring churchyard or used in the construction of the old church. The present church building dates to about 1870, the previous building having been destroyed in a fire on 28 March 1869. The stones were rescued by William Galloway immediately after the fire. The stones are Christian monuments to the dead of the Pictish warrior aristocracy, who are depicted on the stones bearing their weapons or hunting.

Whiteadder Reservoir Reservoir in the United Kingdom

Whiteadder Reservoir is a reservoir in East Lothian, Scotland, UK, in the Lammermuir Hills, 11 miles (18 km) north west of Duns in the Scottish Borders, and five miles (8 km) south east of Garvald. It was created to provide additional water facilities for East Lothian.

Glamis Manse Stone

The Glamis Manse Stone, also known as Glamis 2, is a Class II Pictish stone at the village of Glamis, Angus, Scotland. Dating from the 9th century, it is located outside the Manse, close to the parish church. It is inscribed on one side with a Celtic cross and on the other with a variety of Pictish symbols. It is a scheduled monument.

Kinneddar

Kinneddar is a small settlement on the outskirts of Lossiemouth in Moray, Scotland, near the main entrance to RAF Lossiemouth. Long predating the modern town of Lossiemouth, Kinneddar was a major monastic centre for the Pictish kingdom of Fortriu from the 6th or 7th centuries, and the source of the important collection of Pictish stones called the Drainie Carved Stones. The Kirk of Kinneddar was the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1187 and 1208, and remained an important centre of diocesan administration and residence of the Bishop of Moray through the 13th and 14th centuries.

Burghead Fort

Burghead Fort was a Pictish promontory fort on the site now occupied by the small town of Burghead in Moray, Scotland. It was one of the earliest power centres of the Picts and was three times the size of any other enclosed site in Early Medieval Scotland. The fort was probably the main centre of the Pictish Kingdom of Fortriu, flourishing like the kingdom itself from the 4th to the 9th centuries.

Burghead Bulls

The Burghead Bulls are a group of carved Pictish stones from the site of Burghead Fort in Moray, Scotland, each featuring an incised image of a bull. Up to 30 were discovered during the demolition of the fort to create the town of Burghead in the 19th century, but most were lost when they were used to build the harbour quayside. Six remain: two in the Visitor Centre in Burghead, two in Elgin Museum, one in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh, and one in the British Museum in London.

Sculptors Cave

The Sculptor's Cave is a sandstone cave on the south shore of the Moray Firth in Scotland, near the small settlement of Covesea, between Burghead and Lossiemouth in Moray. It is named after the Pictish carvings incised on the walls of the cave near its entrances. There are seven groups of carvings dating from the 6th or 7th century, including fish, crescent and V-rod, pentacle, triple oval, step, rectangle, disc and rectangle, flower, and mirror patterns, some very basic but others more sophisticated.

Holy Trinity Church, Spynie Former cathedral in Spynie, Moray, north-east Scotland.

Holy Trinity Church, Spynie was until 1735 the parish church of Spynie, Moray in north-east Scotland, and served as the cathedral of the Diocese of Moray between 1207 and 1224.

Elgin Pillar

The Elgin Pillar is a class II Pictish stone, now situated on the north west side of Elgin Cathedral, in Elgin, Moray. It was discovered in 1823, lying 0.6m beneath the surface of the former churchyard of St Giles' Church, in Elgin High Street. It is thought to date from the 9th century, and suggests there may have been a centre of Early Christian activity in the marketplace area around the church in the centre of Elgin.

Birnie Symbol Stone

The Birnie Symbol Stone is a class I Pictish stone, now situated on the north side of the graveyard of Birnie Kirk, in Moray, Scotland. It was discovered in c. 1850 within the wall of the graveyard, from where it was moved to its current location.

Kirkmichael, Moray

Kirkmichael is a parish and hamlet in Moray, Scotland. Kirkmichael was historically part of Banffshire.

Libberton Village and historical parish in South Lanarkshire

Libberton is a village and historical parish in South Lanarkshire. The village is approximately 2 miles (3.2 km) north of Quothquan and 2.3 miles (3.68 km) south-east of Carnwath. The nearest rivers are the South Medwyn River, the North Medwyn River and the River Clyde which lies the east of the village.

References

  1. Ritchie, A (2019). "Drainie carved stones: Description of stones". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  2. Walker, David W.; Woodworth, Matthew (2015). Aberdeenshire: North and Moray. The Buildings of Scotland (Pevsner Architectural Guides). New Haven, CT: Yale University Press. p. 21. ISBN   9780300204285.
  3. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 1". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  4. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 2". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  5. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 3". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  6. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 4". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  7. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 5". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  8. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 6". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  9. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 7". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  10. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 8". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  11. Ritchie, A (2017). "Drainie 9". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  12. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 10". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  13. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 11". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  14. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 12". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  15. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 13". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  16. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 14". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  17. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 15". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  18. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 16". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  19. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 17". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  20. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 18". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  21. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 19". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  22. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 20". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  23. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 21". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  24. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 22". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  25. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 23". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  26. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 24". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  27. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 25". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  28. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 26". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  29. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 27". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  30. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 28". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  31. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 29". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  32. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 30". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  33. Ritchie, A (2018). "Drainie 31". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.
  34. Trythall, J (1996). "Drainie 32". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 25 April 2021.