"Robert I. gave the advocation and donation of the Kirk of Eassie to the Monks of Newbottle.[1]"
St. Neveth, martyr, to whom the church was dedicated, and from whom it received its name, was a bishop "in the north," who was slain by the Saxons and the Picts, and Bishop Forbes[2] suggests that the martyr was buried at Nevay.
Eassie was dedicated to St. Brandon.
At Eassie Church there is one of the finest of the Scottish sculptured stones.
PULPIT FROM ST. CUTHBERT'S CHURCH, Edinburgh.
The annexed sketch (Fig. 1537) shows the old pulpit of St. Cuthbert's
Church as it stood in St. Cuthbert's Poorhouse, Lothian Road, Edinburgh,
before that building was removed in 1868. It appears[3] that when
St. Cuthbert's Church was demolished in 1773, the pulpit was transferred
to the Poorhouse. Its date can be pretty well ascertained. From
a minute of the kirk-session of 15th August 1651, we find that Cromwell's
soldiers had so completely sacked the church that there was "nayther
pulpit, loft, nor seat left therein," all doors and windows having been
broken, and the roof by cannon shot completely ruined. Steps were
immediately taken to repair the damage, and in April 1652 the church
was reopened for public worship. This pulpit was doubtless made
between the above dates, and its style is characteristic of the time. It
is of oak, and probably in the old church it stood on a loftier base than is
shown in the sketch.
FETTERESSO CHURCH, Kincardineshire.
The parish of Fetteresso included a considerable part of the town of
Stonehaven on the east coast of Kincardineshire. The old church, the ruins
of which stand in a large churchyard, is situated near the Carron Water,
about one mile and a half south-west from Stonehaven. The structure
probably occupies the site of a very ancient church, dedicated to St. Cavan,
which stood at the Hamlet of Fetteresso. It is beautifully situated
amongst fine old trees.
