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Carnwath Collegiate Church.

The original foundation of this church dates from very early times. In the middle of the twelfth century it was bestowed by William de Sumerville on Glasgow Cathedral, which grant was confirmed by Pope Alexander III in 1170. The existing building is, however, of much more recent date. It formed the north wing of the parish church, and was added after a Collegiate foundation had been erected in 1425 by Thomas, first Lord Somerville, for a provost andsix prebendaries.

Carnwath Collegiate Church
View of the College from the north west.

In the Memoir of the Somervilles written about the end of the seventeenth century, the church is described as follows:- "The yle itself is but little, however neatly and conveniently built opposite the middle (on the North side) of the church; all aisles, both within and without, haveing pinickles upon all the corners, wherein are engraven, besydes other imagerie the armes of the Somervills and Sinclaires (the family of the wife of the founder), very discernable to the occular aspectione, albeit it be two hundereth and fyfie-eicht years since they were placed there".

The belfry on the south gable and the cross on the north gable are modern. The north doorway under the large window is also an insertion, but is believed to have been formed with the stones of the old doorway of the church.

 

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