Dirleton Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Dirleton Parish Church is situated to the north of the village green in the picturesque village of Dirleton in East Lothian
, Scotland
. Dirleton villlage lies on the south shore of the Firth of Forth
21 miles east of Edinburgh
and two miles west of North Berwick
on the A198 road. The church is at .
, an island off Dirleton; that chapel or priory was dedicated to St. Nicholas. The monks travelled to and from the island via a ferry, a nearby farm is still known as the Ferrygate.
Around the same time, The de Vaux family founded a chapel, dedicated to All Saints, in Dirleton. Then, in 1444, the Haliburton's, now the lords of Dirleton Castle founded a College of priests at their church in Dirleton. The old church at Gullane continued beyond the Reformation but in 1612, after a plea from Sir Thomas Erskine, a future earl of Kellie, to Parliament, the parish church was removed to Dirleton after stating his case of the old church was no longer fit for purpose because of its exposure to the blowing sands of the nearby beach. In 1576, Andrew McGhie, the last vicar at Gullane St. Andrews was reproved by King James VI for his excessive use of tobacco.
Over the years the church was altered and enlarged and the Archerfield, or Dirleton Aisle was built over the grave of James Maxwell. This aisle is believed to be the first piece of neo-classical architecture in Scotland. In 1836, the tower was crowned with Gothic pinnacles allowing the parapets of the tower to blend charmingly with the rest of the church.
Mary Nisbet Hamilton (1777–1855) did much for the church. It was she who financed the building of the new manse in 1828, ensured the tower was completed and added a vestry.
By way of a memorial to his wife, Mr. Russell of Archerfield donated a wonderful stained glass window showing 'St. Francis
and the animals' on which more than ninety animals are depicted. Miss Margaret Chilton was the designer.
Remarkably, the church records date from 1655 and there have only been twenty ministers in the parish since 1576.
by Hew Scott.
^^ James Alston was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
in 1725.
. The church has been linked with the Abbey Church (Church of Scotland) in North Berwick
since 1989 and the present minister is Dr. David Graham.
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Dirleton villlage lies on the south shore of the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
21 miles east of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and two miles west of North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
on the A198 road. The church is at .
Early Christianity in the Parish now known as Dirleton
Before 1612, the parish church was the 12th century St. Andrews Church at Gullane, or Golyn as it was then named. That church replaced an earlier 9th. century chapel. A cell of cistercian nuns was believed to be active near the old church at Gullane in the 12th century while another house of cistercians was founded at the lost village of Eldbottle. The ancient house of Congalton founded a chapel at Congalton in the 12th century for the 'ease of their family and others who lived there'. Also in the 12th century, a religious establishment was founded at FidraFidra
Fidra is an uninhabited island in the Firth of Forth, north-west of North Berwick, on the east coast of Scotland.-Geography:...
, an island off Dirleton; that chapel or priory was dedicated to St. Nicholas. The monks travelled to and from the island via a ferry, a nearby farm is still known as the Ferrygate.
Around the same time, The de Vaux family founded a chapel, dedicated to All Saints, in Dirleton. Then, in 1444, the Haliburton's, now the lords of Dirleton Castle founded a College of priests at their church in Dirleton. The old church at Gullane continued beyond the Reformation but in 1612, after a plea from Sir Thomas Erskine, a future earl of Kellie, to Parliament, the parish church was removed to Dirleton after stating his case of the old church was no longer fit for purpose because of its exposure to the blowing sands of the nearby beach. In 1576, Andrew McGhie, the last vicar at Gullane St. Andrews was reproved by King James VI for his excessive use of tobacco.
The new church
Dirleton Parish Church, dedicated to St.Andrew, was built soon after Sir Thomas' plea of 1612. Colin McWilliam describes the church"It is long and wide, with round–headed windows under the low eaves. The s side and roof are interrupted by the pedimented aisle built of ashlar by James Maxwell, Earl of Dirleton. It has a stone roof nicely supported along the eaves by stone brackets, and between the rusticated corner piers a looped–traceried window. On the e side, a pedimented doorway"
Over the years the church was altered and enlarged and the Archerfield, or Dirleton Aisle was built over the grave of James Maxwell. This aisle is believed to be the first piece of neo-classical architecture in Scotland. In 1836, the tower was crowned with Gothic pinnacles allowing the parapets of the tower to blend charmingly with the rest of the church.
Mary Nisbet Hamilton (1777–1855) did much for the church. It was she who financed the building of the new manse in 1828, ensured the tower was completed and added a vestry.
By way of a memorial to his wife, Mr. Russell of Archerfield donated a wonderful stained glass window showing 'St. Francis
St. Francis
St. Francis may refer to a number of Roman Catholic saints:*St Francis of Assisi , Italian founder of the Order of Friars Minor *St Francis of Paola , Italian founder of the Order of the Minims...
and the animals' on which more than ninety animals are depicted. Miss Margaret Chilton was the designer.
Remarkably, the church records date from 1655 and there have only been twenty ministers in the parish since 1576.
Pre 20th. century ministers and year of taking office
Taken from the Fasti Ecclesiae ScoticanaeFasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae
Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae is a title given to books containing lists of ministers from the Church of Scotland. The original volumes covered all ministers of the Established Church of Scotland...
by Hew Scott.
- 1576 Thomas MakGhie
- 1597 Andrew MakGhie
- 1637 John Trotter
- 1639 John MakGhie
- 1683 Robert Sinclair
- 1688 Laurence Charteris
- 1697 James Clark
- 1708 James Alston ^^
- 1733 James Glen
- 1749 Hugh (or Hew) Bannatyne
- 1769 Alexander Glen
- 1805 William Stark
- 1835 John Ainslie
- 1843 James Scott
- 1864 William Logie
- 1878 John Kerr
^^ James Alston was elected Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland is the sovereign and highest court of the Church of Scotland, and is thus the Church's governing body[1] An Introduction to Practice and Procedure in the Church of Scotland, A Gordon McGillivray, 2nd Edition .-Church courts:As a Presbyterian church,...
in 1725.
Today
The parish now consists of Dirleton, Fenton Barns, Archerfield, the Westerdunes district of North Berwick and the hamlet of KingstonKingston, East Lothian
Kingston is a small hamlet near North Berwick in East Lothian, Scotland.- Fenton Tower :Fenton Tower in Kingston is a refurbished 16th century tower house. Fenton Tower was used as the location for Archie's castle in the BBC children's programme "Balamory." - External links :* official site...
. The church has been linked with the Abbey Church (Church of Scotland) in North Berwick
North Berwick
The Royal Burgh of North Berwick is a seaside town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is situated on the south shore of the Firth of Forth, approximately 25 miles east of Edinburgh. North Berwick became a fashionable holiday resort in the 19th century because of its two sandy bays, the East Bay and the...
since 1989 and the present minister is Dr. David Graham.
Notable people: Dirleton Kirk
- Sir Thomas Erskine. Lord Dirleton
- Sir James Maxwell of Dirleton
- Sir John Nisbet, Lord Advocate - A man described by Bishop Gilbert Burnet as:
"One of the worthiest and learnedest men of his age, a person of great integrity and who always stood firm to the law"
- Mary Nisbet Hamilton
- Mr. Jackson Russell of Archerfield