Description

Early 18th century; 1863 additions. Rubble gateway with rusticated V-jointed ashlar round-arch, surmounted by square-plan coursed sandstone ashlar watch-house with slabbed pyramidal roof reached by open stone forestair to N, square birdcage belfry. Small square openings to E and W elevations; short square chimneystack to SE corner. Watch-house and gateway connected to coped rubble boundary enclosing earlier burial ground, contained within wider cemetery expanded in 1863.

GATELODGE: 1863. Single storey, T-plan squared rubble cemetery gatelodge to NE entrance. basecourse and eavescourse; straight quoins; stone cills. Porch to E re-entrant angle; flat-roof extension to W. Boarded-up windows. Tall corniced ashlar stacks.

Pyramidal stone gatepiers to NE and NW entrances. Coped rubble boundary wall enclosing burial ground; proliferation of 19th century monuments, including Gothic red sandstone monument to Beatrice Clugston by W F Salmon, 1891, with bronze portrait relief by Pittendrigh MacGillvray.

Statement of Interest

This burial ground, associated with the former pre-Reformation parish church of St Ninian, is noted as possibly one of the oldest in Scotland in J Home's book on Kirkintilloch. St Ninian's or the Old Kirk (as noted on Ross's map) was probably abandoned sometime after 1659 when the former parish of Lenzie was separated in two, the eastern part becoming the parish of Cumbernauld, the western part becoming Kirkintilloch parish. In 1644, the Chapel of the Virgin Mary was established in the centre of Kirkintilloch burgh (Auld Kirk Museum), probably also leading to the demise of the Old Kirk, a function of the fact that it was not in a convenient location for the population. (The Buildings of Scotland notes incorrectly the site of the Old Isle Cemetery is that of St Mary's Chapel). The present burial ground was enlarged in 1863, when new gates were added to the NE next to a new gatelodge, in which the history of the burial ground was on display.

Statutory address amended in 2025 to correct a typographical error. Previously listed as 'OLD ISLE ROAD, AULD ISLE CEMETERY INCLUDING WATCH-HOUSE, BOUNDARY WALLS, GATELODGE AND GATEPIERS'

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