The Parish Kirk at Stobo, St Mungo and the Legend of Merlin!
Stobo is believed to be one of the oldest religious sites in the Scottish Borders, with its origins going back as far as the 6th century. According to tradition the original church at Stobo was founded by Kentigern, later known as St Mungo in Scottish history.
There may be truth to the tale, as Mungo is known to have established numerous churches across southern Scotland in his role as archbishop of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. Stobo church was the mother church of smaller chapels at Kingledoors, Tweedsmuir, Dawyck, Drumelzier, Broughton, Glenholm, and Lyne, an area now known as the Scottish Borders.
Mungo's church was replaced by the current building in the 12th century, at which time it consisted of a nave, sanctuary, and west tower. The tower itself was later rebuilt in the 16th century, in a form reminiscent of a traditional fortified tower house.
There is a transept chapel on the north side, which was added in the 15th century. It was at one thought that the north aisle chapel may have been a very early hermit's cell, associated with the foundation of the site. An ancient standing stone has been built into the wall of the chapel, and there are grave slabs to an unknown knight, the local miller, and the 14th-century slab of Robert Vesey. In the nave is a Celtic cross, now much worn, found during restoration work.
One fascinating story associated with Stobo Kirk links it with the King Arthur legend. Tradition says that St Mungo baptised Merlin Sylvestris on a large stone a few miles away from the current church location. This 'altar stone' is now inside Stobo church.
Merlin Sylvestris was a pagan hermit, one of several characters whose stories were encompassed in the popular imagination to create the famous Merlin of the King Arthur legends. A stained-glass window in the church commemorates the baptism of Merlin by Kentigern.
The oldest parts of the church to survive include 12th-century tall and narrow lancet windows in the chancel, and a pair of arched doorways. The north doorway has a door made from a single plank of cedar believed to be from Dawyck. There are also fragmentary traces of medieval wall paintings still remaining.
Outside the south porch entrance is a glass case containing a set of jougs; an iron collar used as a pillory. The collar was put around the criminal's neck and fastened with a padlock. A chain connected to the collar was subsequently fixed to the church door or to a nearby tree. There is no record of when they were last used in Stobo.
The Kirk itself can be located about 6 miles southwest of Peebles off the A72 on the B712 heading for Stobo Castle and is well worth a visit.
