Page 23 - LOTN Autumn Issue 48 2021

FAITH AND CULTURE

basilica! Holy stones have been either lost or incorporated in new
Meditating, as I often do, on our local corpus of holy community development. Much of what survives has come
stones, I remembered a map of early medieval carved stones down to us through agencies of the church. The tiny fragment
in Buchan. Ravenscraig was featured as a site where a stone of from a shrine, or statue - often discovered by accident rather
some significance had been discovered; an inscribed cross-slab than design - goes far to clarify not just our understanding,
fragment of old red sandstone, local to the site. The heavy but our faith history.
The period of early Christianity can be marked by the
process of conversion, in which Fergus played a significant
part, endorsed by the legacy of stonework by the native Picts.
It is evident that the legacy of St Fergus continues to be
highly respected, and today, on a back road, signage points
to "Chapel of St Fergus", just a mile from the busy Aberdeen
International Airport.
Here he set up a centre for his work high on a riverside
ridge similar in many aspects to the possible basilica site at
A cross-slab fragment possibly inscribed with the
name of Drostan, founder and abbot of the monastery of Ravenscraig. At this site are two Pictish stones contemporary
with the presence of Fergus.
Old Deer,in Aberdeenshire
The stones are known as the Dyce Symbol Stones.
volume housing the map gives several pages of information The stone on the left bears an incised Pictish design (Class I)
about the inscription, in detail, and as the legible script gives and was discovered on the riverbed of the Don when the water
the letters (...) i. DR (u), the supposition is that the word may levels were low in 2018.
be Drostan, founder of the monastic settlement at Deer. The other is a Class II Christian Celtic cross slab, with a
Neither Ogham nor Roman script, I suggest Goidelic, a similar Pictish symbol.
Celtic language which includes Irish and Scots Gaelic, and There is reference (1903) that this stone had been built into
similar to that found on the Fetternear Steen, featuring St the wall of the churchyard.
Nechtan and Abbot Uineus of Ner, in 623. Colour has been added on the site interpretation board for
The cross-slab seems to have endured multiple lives, even illustration only.
by 1491, when it is thought to have been re-used in the A deeply spiritual place.
construction of the tower house at Ravenscraig. The stone On what would be his last evangelical journey, Fergus set
fragment shows the incomplete head of a figure, as well as off south, around 730AD. Although there is no supporting
characteristic Pictish relief carving. evidence, it is likely that he came upon the cultural epicentre
A fragment of the cross-slab may be seen in the Arbuthnott at Meigle, which today gives us a snapshot of the social role
Museum, Peterhead. of Pictish sculpture at a time when Christian mission was in
Punctuated by centuries of neglect, destruction and its infancy. Here is a tangible and visual link to the change
forgetfulness, a sense of loss is inevitable. The built in imagery in Pictish art, when the stones became holy, and
environment has changed the landscape and over-ridden stood from then on, as the great symbol of Christianity - as the
history. It is only by evidence of manuscripts, sculptured imagery begins to reinforce the cross as a symbol of salvation.
stones, and archaeological finds that we begin to understand. Six miles from here, at Glamis, Fergus established a pilgrim
centre - high above a river, to conduct open-air worship. He
built a church on the site and consecrated a tabernacle. A
steep path down to the river leads to a natural well spring
where Fergus baptised many aspiring followers of Christ.
There is acknowledgement that the recent church building
incorporates some of the holy stones of this early Christian
foundation.
Fergus died at Glamis in 731.
Centuries later, the Abbot of Scone placed the relics of
Fergus in marble and took his head to the monastery at Scone,
where many miracles were reported at that time. These facts
are documented in the Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer
regarding a silver case for the head, ordered by King James
IV in 1504.
Papers belonging to the cathedral church in Aberdeen say an
arm of St Fergus, adorned with precious stones appeared in an
inventory of cathedral valuables, dated 1464.
A sea change of belief and behaviour in those uncertain times
resonates today. However, a key aspect of our performance as
pilgrims has changed little. We gather at these holy stones,
observe silence, and pray.

The Dyce Symbol Stones
Page 23