History
Radical reorganisation
In the early 1100s, a network of parishes was extended across Scotland as part of a reorganisation of the Scottish Church, overseen by David I.
In 1139, Gospatrick, Earl of Dunbar, granted Edrom Parish to St Cuthbert’s monks, either from Lindisfarne Priory or Durham Cathedral. The church was likely built soon after, and was probably associated with the Benedictines of Durham Cathedral.
Built and rebuilt
Edrom Church was rebuilt in 1732, and it was probably about then that the arch was reused as the burial vault’s entrance. The church was rebuilt again in 1886. Today the arch is the only part of the original church that remains.
The arch was probably the main doorway to the church, though it might have been a small chancel arch.
Its carved capitals are its finest features: the best have heads at the angles, from whose mouths spout trails of foliage. The capitals have parallels with those on the south-east doorway at Dunfermline Abbey, which was built for David I, and it’s possible that the same mason worked on both churches.
