Falkirk Old Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Falkirk Old & St. Modan's Parish Church is a congregation of the Church of Scotland
in Falkirk
, central Scotland. The medieval Old Parish Church is located in the centre of Falkirk, and may have been founded as early as the 7th century. The medieval church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century, though the 18th-century steeple was retained. The church building is protected as a category A listed building.
, King of Scotland, is also said to have established a church here in 1057. In 1166 the church was given to Holyrood Abbey
. The earliest parts of the present building date to around 1450, and indicate that the medieval church was on a cruciform
plan, with a tower at the centre.
The tower was rebuilt between 1738 and 1741 to designs by the architect William Adam. Proposals for renovation or extension of the church wer put forward from the 1790s, and lengthy disagreements ensued. In 1810 the matter came before the Court of Session
, which ruled that the tower should be retained, but the remaining medieval building should be demolished and replaced. The proposals of James Gillespie Graham
were adopted, and the contract was awarded to William Black, wright and Henry Taylor, mason. By autumn 1811 the works were completed, at a cost of around £3,500. A session house was added on the south side in 1893, designed by Wardrop & Anderson
.
The Old Parish Church merged in 1986 with St Modan's Parish Church to form the present congregation.
A number of medieval carved stones are preserved inside the church, including effigies of nobles, which formerly crowned tombs which (presumably) stood within the medieval church building, and a rare 12th century cross-head, one very few surviving in Scotland
and indeed the British Isles
as a whole.
, who was killed at the Battle of Falkirk
on 22 July 1298. His gravestone has been replaced twice over the centuries. The present slab is said to be a copy of the original, and bears the inscription:
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
in Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
, central Scotland. The medieval Old Parish Church is located in the centre of Falkirk, and may have been founded as early as the 7th century. The medieval church was largely rebuilt in the 19th century, though the 18th-century steeple was retained. The church building is protected as a category A listed building.
History
A church may have been founded at Falkirk in the 7th century. Malcolm CanmoreMalcolm III of Scotland
Máel Coluim mac Donnchada , was King of Scots...
, King of Scotland, is also said to have established a church here in 1057. In 1166 the church was given to Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey
Holyrood Abbey is a ruined abbey of the Canons Regular in Edinburgh, Scotland. The abbey was founded in 1128 by King David I of Scotland. During the 15th century, the abbey guesthouse was developed into a royal residence, and after the Scottish Reformation the Palace of Holyroodhouse was expanded...
. The earliest parts of the present building date to around 1450, and indicate that the medieval church was on a cruciform
Cruciform
Cruciform means having the shape of a cross or Christian cross.- Cruciform architectural plan :This is a common description of Christian churches. In Early Christian, Byzantine and other Eastern Orthodox forms of church architecture this is more likely to mean a tetraconch plan, a Greek cross,...
plan, with a tower at the centre.
The tower was rebuilt between 1738 and 1741 to designs by the architect William Adam. Proposals for renovation or extension of the church wer put forward from the 1790s, and lengthy disagreements ensued. In 1810 the matter came before the Court of Session
Court of Session
The Court of Session is the supreme civil court of Scotland, and constitutes part of the College of Justice. It sits in Parliament House in Edinburgh and is both a court of first instance and a court of appeal....
, which ruled that the tower should be retained, but the remaining medieval building should be demolished and replaced. The proposals of James Gillespie Graham
James Gillespie Graham
James Gillespie Graham was a Scottish architect, born in Dunblane. He is most notable for his work in the Scottish baronial style, as at Ayton Castle, and he worked in the Gothic Revival style, in which he was heavily influenced by the work of Augustus Pugin...
were adopted, and the contract was awarded to William Black, wright and Henry Taylor, mason. By autumn 1811 the works were completed, at a cost of around £3,500. A session house was added on the south side in 1893, designed by Wardrop & Anderson
Robert Rowand Anderson
Sir Robert Rowand Anderson RSA was a Scottish Victorian architect. Anderson trained in the office of George Gilbert Scott in London before setting up his own practice in Edinburgh in 1860. During the 1860s his main work was small churches in the 'First Pointed' style that is characteristic of...
.
The Old Parish Church merged in 1986 with St Modan's Parish Church to form the present congregation.
A number of medieval carved stones are preserved inside the church, including effigies of nobles, which formerly crowned tombs which (presumably) stood within the medieval church building, and a rare 12th century cross-head, one very few surviving in 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...
and indeed the British Isles
British Isles
The British Isles are a group of islands off the northwest coast of continental Europe that include the islands of Great Britain and Ireland and over six thousand smaller isles. There are two sovereign states located on the islands: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and...
as a whole.
Burials
Notable tombs in the churchyard include that of Sir John de GraemeJohn de Graham
Sir John de Graham was a Scottish knight and soldier.He was born in the lands of Dundaff, Ayrshire, in the late 13th century. During the Wars of Scottish Independence he fought alongside Sir William Wallace...
, who was killed at the Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
on 22 July 1298. His gravestone has been replaced twice over the centuries. The present slab is said to be a copy of the original, and bears the inscription: