Situated on the right bank of the Earn about two miles south from
Auchterarder, this church, which is a post-Reformation one, stands in
the centre of a small churchyard on a hillock overlooking the river, and
[Illustration: FIG. 1556.--St. Bean’s Church, Kinkell.]
is entire, but roofless (Fig. 1556). It is now divided by cross walls
into three burial-places. The building (Fig. 1557) measures about 65
feet 2 inches in length by 23 feet wide externally. Like most of the
early Presbyterian churches it has a considerable resemblance, in plan,
to those of the Gothic period, being long and narrow, with a south door
near the west end, south windows, and an end window high up in each
gable. All the openings are lintelled and splayed. There was a belfry on
the west gable.
[Illustration: FIG. 1557.--St. Bean’s Church, Kinkell. Plan.]
The church was probably built about the end of the sixteenth century. It
was repaired about the year 1680 at the instigation of the Bishop and
Synod of Dunblane, and shortly afterwards the parish of Kinkell was
absorbed into that of Trinity Gask, when the building was allowed to
fall into ruin.
The Church of Kinkell was dedicated to St. Bean, and was a cell of
Inchaffray.