Bonkyl Church - Izeria

Bonkyl Church (also spelled Buncle or Bunkle) (Scottish Gaelic: Bun na Cille = 'the hill foot of the church') is a Church of Scotland kirk situated at grid reference NT808595 5 miles (8 kilometres) northeast of Duns in the old county of Berwickshire. The nearest hamlet is Preston just over 2 miles (3 kilometres) to the south-west.

1. History

There has been a religious establishment at Bonkyl since the early 12th century, and it was part of the vicarage of Dunkeld before 1275. The early proprietor of the church was Sir Alexander de Bonkyl, but the church passed into the care of his daughter Margaret in 1304. After the death of Margaret, the Bonkyl estate and church passed down to her son, Sir Alexander Stewart of Bonkyl. During the Second War of Scottish Independence the location was contested by Thomas Ughtred, a future Knight of the Garter. The care and maintenance of the church then passed to the Douglas Earls of Angus, descendants of the Stewarts, before finally passing to the Earl of Home in 1877. The church was a separate parish until 1621 when it was co-joined with the nearby parish of Preston. In 1958, the churches were joined by Reston, then Chirnside in 1973. The present church is a Category B listed building. The ancient church at Bonkyl fell into ruin and was demolished in 1820 when the present church was built. All that is left of the old church is a Norman apse, a vaulted arch which was later used as a burial vault of the Homes of Billie. It is thought to be the oldest of its kind in Scotland, having been built in the early 12th century and is a designated scheduled monument.

1. Ministers in the early years of the reformed church

1582 - 1598 William Sinclair 1599 - 1607 George Redpath 1607 - 1612 Matthew Carrail 1612 - 1621 John Gaittis

1. Gallery


1. See also

Bonkyll Castle List of places in East Lothian List of places in Edinburgh List of places in Midlothian List of places in West Lothian List of places in Scotland

1. References

Statistical Accounts for Scotland Gazetteer for Scotland, Francis Groome

1. External links

RCAHMS: Bonkyl RCAHMS: Bonkyl Walled Garden James Hutton's Slighouses Scottish Borders Council Church website More images at Geograph 1862 Ordnance Survey map of Bunkle Castle and Kirk - National Library of Scotland

Nearby Places View Menu

Preston, Scottish Borders

Preston is a small village in the ancient county of Berwickshire, now an administrative area of the Scottish Borders region of Scotland. It lies within the local Abbey St Bathans, Bonkyl & Preston Community Council area. The united Parishes of 'Bunkle' and Preston, situated at the foot of the Lammermuir Hills, are bordered on the north by the Parishes of Abbey St Bathans and Coldingham, on the east by the Parishes of Coldingham and Chirnside, on the south by the Parishes of Edrom and Duns and on the east by the Parishes of Duns and Abbey St. Bathans.

Neighbourhood

Blanerne Castle

Blanerne Castle is the remains of a 16th-century fortified house, located in the grounds of Blanerne House, an 18th-century country house between Chirnside and Preston in the Scottish Borders. The house and castle sit on the north bank of the Whiteadder Water, around 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north-east of Duns. The castle was the historical seat of the Lumsdaine family for over four centuries. The surviving remains are dated to the 16th century, although the site may have been occupied as far back as the 12th century. The remains include a keep or kitchen block, with a detached guard house to the west. The castle is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument. A popular Berwickshire rhyme refers to the medieval strengths of Blanerne and the nearby fortresses of Billie Castle, and Bonkyll Castle referring to their construction in the time of David I and their destruction following the Rough wooing: Bunkle, Billie and Blanerne Three castles strong as airn Built when Davie was a Bairn Theyll all gang doon, Wi Scotland's Croon An ilka ane shall be a cairn

Castle Historic Site

Billie Castle

Billie Castle is a ruined 15th-century quadrangular castle, 3 miles (4.8 km) north west of Chirnside, Scottish Borders, Scotland, north of Billiemains. It was designated as a scheduled monument in 1988.

Castle Historic Site

Auchencrow

Auchencrow (Scottish Gaelic: Allt na Crà) is a small village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, by the Lammermuir range of hills, and near Reston.

Neighbourhood