Monifieth sculptured stones

Uncovered during the demolition of a pre-Reformation church and its kirkyard wall in the 19th and 20th centuries, the stones are now housed in the collection of the Museum of Scotland.

The church and lands of Monifieth were originally possessions of the ascetic Céli Dé monastic order.

During the demolitions, "remains of the Culdee edifice" were found dating from before the church's acquisition by Arbroath Abbey.

[8] The pre-Reformation church also made use of the shaft of a high cross as a lintel for the "queer" door.

Miller's account refers to a large socketed boulder, some yards to north that once held the cross.

[1] It is dressed, with designs carved in relief including both Christian and Pictish symbols, defining it as a Class II cross slab under J. Romilly Allen and Joseph Anderson's classification system.

The double disc and Z-rod lies vertically on the right hand side of the face and is decorated with concentric circles.

The upper half of the slab holds two designs: on the left, a long-necked creature similar to that on one of the sides of Monifieth 4; on the right, a deer's head similar to that on the Class I stone at Dunachton and the Class II Glamis Manse stone.

[3] (The Canmore record is at odds with Neish's account of the donation, stating that Monifieth 3 was also found in the church foundations and incorporated into the 1812 building.)

[5] While it features Celtic Christian imagery, it has no idiomatic Pictish symbols, defining it as Class III.

[4][16] The front again features part of a crucifixion scene, with the Christ figure broken off at the waist.