Prestongrange Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Prestongrange Parish Church is a Church of Scotland
kirk
situated in the small, former mining town
of Prestonpans
in East Lothian. The church was built in 1596, one of the first churches to be built in Scotland
following the Scottish Reformation
in 1560. In 1606, Prestonpans was created a parish
in its own right following centuries of being part of the parish of Tranent
.
There had been a church to the south of Prestonpans, since the 12th century which was administered by the canons of Holyrude Abbey but that church, situated in the vicinity of Northfield House was destroyed by the earl of Hertford in 1544 during the Rough Wooing campaign against the Scots
following the Scots' refusal to allow Princess Mary of Scotland. (the to-be Mary, Queen of Scots) marry Henry's son, Prince Edward
.
was appointed first minister at the new church and financed the building of the church out of his own means. The land was gifted by the Hamilton
family, the lairds of Preston
. The Rev. Davidson was an outspoken man and was never afraid to criticise bishops when the need arose and even criticised the king, James VI of Scots. The good minister spent time in prison in Edinburgh
in 1601 and, on his release, was banned from leaving the parish for life. The church, since 1596, has been served by 27 miniaters. William Carlyle, father of Jupiter Carlyle, was minister at the time of the Battle of Prestonpnas on September 21. 1745 and he wrote a report of the engagement having witnessed it from the church tower. William Cunningham was minister when the churches split in 1843. The Rev. J. Struthers was minister for 45 years around the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century. Moira Herkes was the first lady minister at Prestonpans when she arrived in 1988.
There was a major rift in the Church of Scotland and, in 1843, many of the congregation left the church, then known by its original name, Preston Church. The dissidents eventually built their own church, the Free Church of Scotland
, later the United Free Church
, in West Loan, just a few hundred yards from Preston Kirk. When the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church reunited in 1929, the former United Free Church congregation took the name Grange Church. Happily, the two congregations re-united in 1981 to form Prestongrange Parish Church.
There are many interesting and intriguing grave stones in the kirkyard where a number of former ministers and even soldiers from the Battle of Prestonpans are buried.
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....
kirk
Kirk
Kirk can mean "church" in general or the Church of Scotland in particular. Many place names and personal names are also derived from it.-Basic meaning and etymology:...
situated in the small, former mining town
Mining town
A mining community, also known as a mining town or a mining camp, is a community that houses miners. Mining communities are usually created around a mine or a quarry for the extraction or smeltering of ore.-United States:...
of Prestonpans
Prestonpans
Prestonpans is a small town to the east of Edinburgh, Scotland, in the unitary council area of East Lothian. It has a population of 7,153 . It is the site of the 1745 Battle of Prestonpans, and has a history dating back to the 11th century...
in East Lothian. The church was built in 1596, one of the first churches to be built 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...
following the Scottish Reformation
Scottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
in 1560. In 1606, Prestonpans was created a parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
in its own right following centuries of being part of the parish of Tranent
Tranent
Tranent is a town in East Lothian, Scotland. It is close to the A1 road and approximately east of Edinburgh. It is one of the oldest towns in East Lothian, and built on a gentle slope, about 300 feet above sea level.Population of the town is 9,917....
.
There had been a church to the south of Prestonpans, since the 12th century which was administered by the canons of Holyrude Abbey but that church, situated in the vicinity of Northfield House was destroyed by the earl of Hertford in 1544 during the Rough Wooing campaign against the Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
following the Scots' refusal to allow Princess Mary of Scotland. (the to-be Mary, Queen of Scots) marry Henry's son, Prince Edward
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
.
Notable ministers
John Davidson, formerly of Liberton in EdinburghEdinburgh
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...
was appointed first minister at the new church and financed the building of the church out of his own means. The land was gifted by the Hamilton
Clan Hamilton
The House of Hamilton, occasionally and erroneously referred to as Clan Hamilton, is a Scottish family who historically held broad territories throughout central and southern Scotland, particularly Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and the Lothians...
family, the lairds of Preston
Preston, East Lothian
Preston is a village on the East Lothian coast of Scotland, to the south of Prestonpans, the east of Prestongrange, and the southwest of Cockenzie and Port Seton....
. The Rev. Davidson was an outspoken man and was never afraid to criticise bishops when the need arose and even criticised the king, James VI of Scots. The good minister spent time in prison in 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...
in 1601 and, on his release, was banned from leaving the parish for life. The church, since 1596, has been served by 27 miniaters. William Carlyle, father of Jupiter Carlyle, was minister at the time of the Battle of Prestonpnas on September 21. 1745 and he wrote a report of the engagement having witnessed it from the church tower. William Cunningham was minister when the churches split in 1843. The Rev. J. Struthers was minister for 45 years around the end of the 19th century and the early 20th century. Moira Herkes was the first lady minister at Prestonpans when she arrived in 1988.
Changes
The church was extensively refurbished in 1774 and again in 1891 forming the edifice we see today. Only the clock tower and some surrounding masonry remains from the original 1596 church; the outline of the original west gable end can still be seen inside the roof.There was a major rift in the Church of Scotland and, in 1843, many of the congregation left the church, then known by its original name, Preston Church. The dissidents eventually built their own church, the Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
, later the United Free Church
United Free Church of Scotland
The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...
, in West Loan, just a few hundred yards from Preston Kirk. When the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church reunited in 1929, the former United Free Church congregation took the name Grange Church. Happily, the two congregations re-united in 1981 to form Prestongrange Parish Church.
There are many interesting and intriguing grave stones in the kirkyard where a number of former ministers and even soldiers from the Battle of Prestonpans are buried.