.
Richly carved sacrament-houses are occasionally introduced, and perhaps
some of the good carving may be due to the French masons who were
numerous in Scotland during the reigns of James IV. and James V. The
structures of the period were either parish or collegiate churches.[24]

CHAPTER III

1. DIOCESE OF ST. ANDREWS

The connection between St. Andrews and the neighbouring Pictish Church
at Abernethy was, during the early period, very close. Dr. Skene thinks
that the first church at Abernethy was built during the visit of St.
Ninian to the Southern Picts, or the people living between the Forth and
the territory south of the Grampians; it was endowed with lands by King
Nectan in 460 A.D., and dedicated to St. Bride;[25] and between 584 and
596, during St. Columba's visit, and as a result of his mission, a
church was rebuilt by Gartnaidh, King of the Picts.[26] St. Columba is
distinctly stated to have preached among the tribes on the banks of the
Tay,[27] and to have been assisted in this work by St. Cainnech, who
founded a church in the east end of the province of Fife, near where the
Eden pours its waters into the German Ocean, at a place called
Rig-Monadh, or the royal mount, which afterwards became famous as the
site on which the church of St. Andrews was founded, and as giving to
that place the name of Kilrimont.[28] The earliest Celtic church at St.
Andrews was probably, like that of Iona, constructed with wattles and
turf and roofed with thatch. It was customary to have caves or places
of retirement for the hermits; they were used, too, as oratories or
places of penance, and one such there is at St. Andrews, known as St.
Rule's cave:--

Where good Saint Rule his holy lay,
From midnight to the dawn of day,
Sang to the billows' sound.[29]

The connection of the place with St. Andrew has no historical basis till
between 736 and 761, when a cathedral was dedicated to St. Andrew, and a
portion of his relics was brought by Acca, Bishop of Northumbria, who
was banished from that country in 732, and founded a church among the
Picts. Dr. Skene points to the similarity of the events which succeeded
one another in Northumbria and Southern Pictland in the eighth century.
In the former country the Columban clergy were expelled, secular clergy
were introduced, dedications were made to St. Peter, and afterwards
Hexham was dedicated to St. Andrew and received the relics of the
Apostle, brought there by