Perceton Church Ruins, Memorials and Graveyard, North Ayrshire

The old parish church at Perceton has long been abandoned. It stands on an earth mound and has strong links with the families who lived at Perceton House. It has a burial ground and was used as a mausoleum after it ceased to be a church. It location hints at the Christianisation of a pagan site as was often the case.

[@hujjesb]

Another great vid ,.well done .look forward to your vids on local history..

[@rogergriffith286]

Thanks

[@MilitaryJournal]

On what side of the road is the old church? Been looking for it for some time

[@rogergriffith286]

It's very hard to see and even harder to get to as you have to enter via a private driveway and path thanks to the high metal fence that surrounds it. It is on the left just before Perceton hamlet before you cross the Annick Water.

[@MilitaryJournal]

Cool thanks, enjoying the videos. Do you know much about Perceton Castle?

[@rogergriffith286]

Do you mean Stanecastle? I haven't heard of a Perceton Castle.

[@MilitaryJournal]

No, I live right next to Stanecastle keep lol. I was reading somewhere about an old medieval castle at Perceton next to where the new houses are currently being built but never found much else about it. I assume there might have been some sort of defensive structure there if it was a sort of barony? Cheers

[@darthflea]

+Neil Ritchie Yes it was on the site of The Grange housing estate just across the road from Perceton House. Found archaeological evidence of a moat and gate palisades as well as a nearby curling pond, I think. I walk by the Perceton Church hill all the time (Roger - the start of the video, you're actually recording the lane I walk up and down between the route to my house and the bus stop up at Perceton Roundabout). Spent many a time in my youth playing with other kids from the neighbourhood in the old churchyard.

[@ViaHarmonica]

Hi Roger, I would be very interested to know if anyone has explored the earth mound for possible Templar links. The Appin Stewarts that first moved to the Appin of Dull and Weem, and then some of whom moved to Port Appin, were closely associated with the Scottish Templar knights. James Stewart, of Percetoon, would move back to the area after his crusading days were over.

[@rogergriffith286]

It's an interesting mound but it seems to have been left unexplored. The fact that a church was built on top suggests possible pagan uses originally. Templars were certainly in the area.

[@ViaHarmonica]

Thanks, pagan... or more Celtic? As the Templars were closely associated with the Tironian abbeys that took over many of the old Culdee churches in Scotland. It is definitely of interest as a possible burial spot for the skull of St. John the Baptist, or alternatively by the square and compass stonemason's mark in the old deer park wall by the Eglinton estate.

[@rogergriffith286]

@@ViaHarmonica The stones for the old deer park were taken from Kilwinning Abbey as were those for the Visitor Centre.

[@user-rx4bi1ic4z]

We used to live at Perceton Padgock, opposite. My brother was driving around the corner there and what looked like a monk cane out of nowhere and bumped into his car and disappeared, giving him quite a fright. He's not the ghosties a goblins type so, interesting...!

[@rogergriffith286]

Sounds like the monk seen at Borland - once a physic garden of the Kilwinning monks!

[@user-rx4bi1ic4z]

@@rogergriffith286 Wow... Really? That's interesting... I'm going to look that up! Thanks for the info, Roger :) P.S. I was a child, and my bedroom was at the end of a corridor, and the nearest of any rooms to the lower corner of our garden that faced the old cemetery (sprawling modern bungalow, with garden sloping down a bit until it reached the high wall and road between us and the cemetery), so I used to get a bit scared at night after my brother told us about his experience!