Who were the Culdees and why were they in Muthill ?
1900 pic of Muthill Parish Church
1. Culdees in Muthill
I have a particular interest in the religious sect known as the Culdees . I lived for a number
of years in an old stone house in Muthill called “ Little Culdees ” It had been built circa
1790 using stones from the remnants of Culdees Castle in what is now the farm and estate
of the Maitland Gardners . A somewhat be- turreted idiosyncratic dwelling located over
a flowing burn and distinctive but with its stone slabbed flooring perhaps the coldest
house I have ever lived in !
Who then were the Culdees ? Culdees were holy men who loved solitude and lived by the
labour of their hands. Gradually they came together in a
community, still occupying separate cells, still much alone and in communion with God but
meeting in the refectory and in the church, and giving obedience to a common superior. In
the Irish language the word was written Ceile-De, meaning companion or even spouse of
God .The Latin equivalent in the plural was Colidei, anglicized into Culdees; in Scotland it was often written Kelidei.
Known as “ hermits “ they were in fact the old Celtic Church and occupied such Holy places
as Iona Abbey and closer to home , Inchaffray Abbey near Madderty .The Synod of Whitby
in the 7th Century saw them lose out to the Catholic Church over what date Easter
should be celebrated . Although this seemed to signify their gradual decline , the Culdees
hung on and indeed shared many of the buildings with the Augustinian brothers
(Inchaffray in particular ).
What then was their significance to Muthill ? We know that in 1235 a Charter was signed
by Padin who was the Presbyter of Muthill , concerning the connections between the Abbey
of Lindores and Muthill Church .This same document was witnessed by Maurice , Prior
of the Kaledei or Culdees at Muthill. The Culdees had been in Muthill for some time They
did not occupy what is the Parish Church but had their own Monastery “ somewhat apart ”
( Shepherd ) .
Where then did the Culdees hang out ? Research ancient and modern points firmly to
Culdees Estate ( Maitland Gardner ) and the following is recorded under the Canmore
heading in the Scottish Antiquities website :
A House of Culdees at Muthill. A prior and two brethren are mentioned 1178-95. The latest
specific reference seems to be 1236 but a prior of Muthill witnessed a charter probably
of 1284-96.
D E Easson 1957
Traditionally a church of the Culdees existed on the west end of Culdees estate (NN 8816).
S Korner 1858
The traditional site of the church is within the area centred on NN 881 159. An avenue of
trees to the SE, known as the Monk's Walk, leads to an old orchard at NN 884 157 called
the Monk's Garden (Mrs Maitland Gardner, Culdees, Muthill).
Visited by OS (RD) 19 May 1967.
2. Michael Ochiltree Priest of Muthill and suppressor of the Culdees.
( Extract from Episcopacy in Strathearn by JH Shepherd ( Scottish Chronicle Office , Dumfries 1907 ) )
One of the most famous incumbents of Muthill before the period of the Reformation was Michael
Ochiltree . He was Dean of Dunblane and Priest at Muthill in the year 1425. The Church of Muthill
was partly rebuilt by him ..He was also builder of what is still known as the“ Bishop’s Bridge” over the
Machany near Muthill . He built another bridge , now disused over the Knaik at Ardoch . He was
appointed Bishop of Dunblane before the year 1439 and was still Bishop in 1447 .
Bishop's Bridge c 1900
For the next 100 years from 1447 the history of Muthill is blank . From the time of St Fergus ‘s
preaching down to the days following the reign of Queen Margaret ( about 1100 ) , the form of
Christianity in Scotland was that of the Celtic or Culdees Church . That Church had its own Bishops,
Priests and Deacons as was the case everywhere else in Christendom , though its Bishops occupied
a somewhat anomalous position in the matter of Government .
About the beginning of the 12th Century , mainly through the works of the sons of Queen Margaret
and through fear of England , the influence of the Bishop of Rome ( the Pope ) began to be felt , and
this was gradually increased in the most natural way possible ,until Scotland came to be looked
upon as “ the special daughter “ of Rome “ . From the 12th Century to the middle of the 16th Century
marks the limits of Roman power . During that period , Church life at Muthill must have been similar
to Church life elsewhere . The Priest at Muthill , after the suppression of the Culdees , was always
a man of some importance , and was usually Dean of the Diocese .. The ordinary round of services
was followed ,and the parishioners learned their faith from the regular recurrence of the Church
Festivals .Christmas, Easter , Ascension Day , Pentecost and numerous Saints’ days throughout the
year brought the people to Church , and their whole life was penetrated by religious observances, of
various sorts .
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Thanks Colin, I had no idea.
ReplyDeleteA great easy read and fantastic illustrations, especially Norman Aiton's painting.
You say "For the next 100 years from 1447 the history of Muthill is blank . From the time of St Fergus ‘s
ReplyDeletepreaching down to the days following the reign of Queen Margaret ( about 1100 ) , the form of
Christianity in Scotland was that of the Celtic or Culdees Church . That Church had its own Bishops,
Priests and Deacons as was the case everywhere else in Christendom , though its Bishops occupied
a somewhat anomalous position in the matter of Government ."
Not so.
The Columban church was expelled in 717 by the King of the Picts and only got a foothold back after Kenneth mac Alpin had wrought his genocide of the Pictish ruling class in the 840s. Thereafter the Columban Church was in the ascendant - but it appears that Catholicism was not entirely extirpated.
Only with the arrival of Margaret Atheling was there, as you say, a campaign to render the Columbans (including specifically the Culdees) irrelevant, mainly by confiscation of their lands and coralling them as Canons under Catholic authority.