St Kentigern's Churchyard, Lanark

The churchyard at St Kentigern's Church contains two burial aisles, a memorial vault and some fine early memorials. The largest burial aisle is dedicated to the Lockharts of Lee and is of early 17th century date. The Lockharts of Cleghorn aisle lies to the southwest and was built in 1693. Attached to the northeast corner of the Cleghorn aisle is a much smaller memorial vault, designed by William Purdie in 1931 for the Obstetric Societies of Edinburgh and Glasgow. It houses the 18th century grave-slab of Dr William Smellie, pioneer of scientific midwifery. Surrounding the burial aisles is an 18th century graveyard which has a boundary wall and entrance on the north side.

In accordance with Section 1 (4A) of the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 the following are excluded from the listing: scheduled monument SM1144.

The Lockharts of Lee burial aisle is rubble-built with a trussed open wood roof and grey slates. There is a single door in the west gable and two windows in the north and south elevations, all of which have chamfered surrounds. A memorial in high relief is set at the east end. The east and west sides of the Lockharts of Cleghorn aisle are rubble-built, while the south wall is faced with ashlar. It is built against St Kentigern's Church and roofed with grey slates. The aisle was formerly topped by an entablature, its frieze decorated with floral motifs. The crowstep-gabled memorial vault is built of ashlar and roofed with slates.

There are more than 900 gravestones in the churchyard dating from the 17th to the early 20th centuries. The earliest gravestones are located in the south section of the churchyard and are laid out in regular rows. Many of the stones with an early date have fine symbolic carving and are of a good quality.