South Leith Parish Church
Encyclopedia
South Leith Parish Church or Kirk is a congregation of the Church of Scotland
. It is the principal church and congregation in Leith
, in Edinburgh
, Scotland
. Its kirkyard
is the burial place for John Home
, author of Douglas
, and John Pew
, the man from whom the author Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly derived the character of Blind Pew in the novel Treasure Island. The church has been repaired, used as a magazine and reconstructed but still looks similar to its appearance on a 1608 seal.
dedicated to St Mary which was erected in 1483 and dedicated in 1487. (In the twelfth century Leith had been part of the parish of Restalrig
.) As part of the dedication King James III of Scotland gave 18 shillings to the kirk.
In 1544 the church was used as a refuge for people displaced by the fighting when the English attacked Leith as part of the Rough Wooing when the English attacked Scotland to try and encourage a marriage between the infant Mary, Queen of Scots and the English prince. Refuge was required as Henry VIII
of England had ordered that Leith should be burnt. In the following year the Protestant martyr, George Wishart
preached at the church and John Knox
is thought to have been amongst those who came to listen. In 1547 the church was again involved in the struggle between the invading English and the Scots when the English used the church as a makeshift prison for Scottish nobles.
In 1559, Mary of Guise
, the regent of Scotland, worshipped at this church. Her coat of arms is displayed in the entrance of the church today. Mary had fortified the town and she was in Leith being guarded by the thousands of French troops stationed here.
to lay siege to Leith
in order that the French might be persuaded to leave. The nave of this church had to be repaired due to damage caused by the English artillery. The French and the English troops did leave under the terms of the Treaty of Edinburgh
. This agreement shifted the allegiance of Scotland from Catholic France to Protestant England.
The consequences of the treaty and the peace that followed made enormous changes to the role of this church. Nearby Restalrig Church was the parish church. That church could trace its history back to events in the year 700 when Saint Rule and Saint Triduana had arrived in Scotland. Triduana had stayed on in Scotland and when she died the church of Restalrig was founded at that place. Now however feelings had changed and by the order of the General Assembly that church was razed to the ground and this church, although damaged, became the new church of the parish of Leith. The church became the de facto Parish Kirk for South Leith after Restalrig
Kirk, which up until then had served that community, was demolished by order of the newly formed General Assembly
.
The form of worship at the church was also changed in from Roman Catholic to Presbyterian, as a consequence of the Reformation
. The church came under the ministry of David Lindsay
who became the Bishop of Ross
.
The new arrangement of power took time to settle down. In 1571 there was much discussion regarding the transfer of church positions. Noblemen were becoming bishops without any further qualification and positions in the church were being given to inappropriate people – including some who were still not legally adult. In 1572 an "extraordinary" general meeting was called by the regent (the Earl of Mar
) and held here. The meeting made resolutions but they were not fully implemented as the King (James VI of Scotland was still a minor.
The new status for South Leith Parish Kirk was confirmed by Act of Parliament
in 1609. This was recorded in the parish records which still survive back to May 1597. Another charter was given by the kirk session in 1608 recognising the landlord as James Hall to whom they agreed to continue paying rent (as they had to his father). The seal attached to this charter is shown here as it contains an illustration of the church which is not dissimilar to its present appearance. The kirk records record that in 1615 the church was added to with a central steeple.
In 1645 the church was involved with sanitary measures during the Great Plague. Over 2,700 people lost their lives – this was half the population. From 1650 to 1657 the Parliamentarians
used the church as a Magasin
during the civil war. The kirk records record the problems at that time with church services having to be conducted wherever space allowed.
From 1687 until 1692 the confirmation of the congregations as Presbyterian
was demonstrated as the church expelled those who were Episcopalian
.
In 1766 the new minister was Henry Hunter
who went on to publish sermons and more notably translate the work of leading French scientists.
In 1836 the central steeple that had stood since 1615 was dismantled. William Burn reported that this was essential as the steeple rested on the original west wall whilst the other newer walls had sunk and caused the tower to lean. The present tower was not finished until 1848.
Disagreements within the congregation led to a split in 1843 when half the population led by a second minister formed a new church. However the church recovered and reconstruction (and restoration) of the building took place 1847–48 included the installation of a magnificent hammerbeam nave roof which was designed by the architect Thomas Hamilton
. The church is a category A listed building. The roof design is said to be based on St Isaac's
in St Petersburg.
In 1915 over 200 soldiers were killed and a similar number seriously injured in the Quintinshill rail disaster at Gretna. The soldiers were from the 7th company of the Scots Guards who had been recruited locally. Their colours are still kept at the church in memory of the loss to the community. The soldiers are buried in Rosebank Cemetery
in nearby Pilrig.
The church is home to the 10th Leith Boys Brigade Company and the Girl Guides. They meet at the church's halls in nearby Henderson Street
.
is the burial place for the playwright John Home
, author of Douglas
, and John Pew
, the man from whom the author Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly derived the character of Blind Pew in the novel Treasure Island. Pew was a maltman and was reputed to have had 25 children. Stevenson was related to the Balfour family so he may have seen the Pew grave whilst visiting the church of his family. Other notable people are Adam Whyte who was Leith's first Provost
, Hugo Arnot
, historian, and John Hadaway, Lieutenant of the Bellerophon
during the Battle of the Nile.
In the grounds of the graveyard are structures which contain memorials. The structures appear to have been roofed and to have had dividing walls and gates for each family's memorial. The gates, roof and walls are no longer present.
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....
. It is the principal church and congregation in Leith
Leith
-South Leith v. North Leith:Up until the late 16th century Leith , comprised two separate towns on either side of the river....
, 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...
, 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...
. Its kirkyard
Graveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
is the burial place for John Home
John Home
John Home was a Scottish poet and dramatist.-Biography:He was born at Leith, near Edinburgh, where his father, Alexander Home, a distant relation of the earls of Home, was town clerk. John was educated at the Leith Grammar School, and at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated MA, in 1742...
, author of Douglas
Douglas (play)
Douglas is a blank verse tragedy by John Home. It was first performed in 1756 in EdinburghThe play was a big success in both Scotland and England for decades, attacting many notable actors of the period, such as Edmund Kean who made his debut in it. Peg Woffington played Lady Randolph, a part which...
, and John Pew
Blind Pew
Blind Pew can refer to:*Blind Pew, the character from the novel Treasure Island , reputedly modelled on an actual person, John Pew, who is buried in the kirkyard of South Leith Parish Church. The character is never named "Blind Pew" in the book, but simply "Pew"...
, the man from whom the author Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly derived the character of Blind Pew in the novel Treasure Island. The church has been repaired, used as a magazine and reconstructed but still looks similar to its appearance on a 1608 seal.
History
The church has a long history although most of the visible building is more recent. The church began as a chapelChapel
A chapel is a building used by Christians as a place of fellowship and worship. It may be part of a larger structure or complex, such as a church, college, hospital, palace, prison or funeral home, located on board a military or commercial ship, or it may be an entirely free-standing building,...
dedicated to St Mary which was erected in 1483 and dedicated in 1487. (In the twelfth century Leith had been part of the parish of Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
.) As part of the dedication King James III of Scotland gave 18 shillings to the kirk.
In 1544 the church was used as a refuge for people displaced by the fighting when the English attacked Leith as part of the Rough Wooing when the English attacked Scotland to try and encourage a marriage between the infant Mary, Queen of Scots and the English prince. Refuge was required as Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of England had ordered that Leith should be burnt. In the following year the Protestant martyr, George Wishart
George Wishart
George Wishart was a Scottish religious reformer and Protestant martyr.He belonged to a younger branch of the Wisharts of Pitarrow near Montrose. He may have graduated M.A., probably at King's College, Aberdeen, and was certainly a student at the University of Leuven, from which he graduated in 1531...
preached at the church and John Knox
John Knox
John Knox was a Scottish clergyman and a leader of the Protestant Reformation who brought reformation to the church in Scotland. He was educated at the University of St Andrews or possibly the University of Glasgow and was ordained to the Catholic priesthood in 1536...
is thought to have been amongst those who came to listen. In 1547 the church was again involved in the struggle between the invading English and the Scots when the English used the church as a makeshift prison for Scottish nobles.
In 1559, Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise
Mary of Guise was a queen consort of Scotland as the second spouse of King James V. She was the mother of Mary, Queen of Scots, and served as regent of Scotland in her daughter's name from 1554 to 1560...
, the regent of Scotland, worshipped at this church. Her coat of arms is displayed in the entrance of the church today. Mary had fortified the town and she was in Leith being guarded by the thousands of French troops stationed here.
Siege of Leith
In the following year, 1560, the English fleet and troops arrived at the invitation of Protestant Lords of the CongregationLords of the Congregation
The Lords of the Congregation were a group of Protestant Scottish nobles who in the mid-16th century favoured reformation of the church along Protestant principles and a Scottish-English alliance.- Historical events :...
to lay siege to Leith
Siege of Leith
The Siege of Leith ended a twelve year encampment of French troops at Leith, the port near Edinburgh, Scotland. The French troops arrived by invitation in 1548 and left in 1560 after the English arrived to assist in removing them from Scotland...
in order that the French might be persuaded to leave. The nave of this church had to be repaired due to damage caused by the English artillery. The French and the English troops did leave under the terms of the Treaty of Edinburgh
Treaty of Edinburgh
The Treaty of Edinburgh was a treaty drawn up on 5 July 1560 between the Commissioners of Queen Elizabeth I with the assent of the Scottish Lords of the Congregation, and French representatives in Scotland to formally conclude the Siege of Leith and replace the Auld Alliance with France with a new...
. This agreement shifted the allegiance of Scotland from Catholic France to Protestant England.
The consequences of the treaty and the peace that followed made enormous changes to the role of this church. Nearby Restalrig Church was the parish church. That church could trace its history back to events in the year 700 when Saint Rule and Saint Triduana had arrived in Scotland. Triduana had stayed on in Scotland and when she died the church of Restalrig was founded at that place. Now however feelings had changed and by the order of the General Assembly that church was razed to the ground and this church, although damaged, became the new church of the parish of Leith. The church became the de facto Parish Kirk for South Leith after Restalrig
Restalrig
Restalrig is a suburb of Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located east of the city centre, west of the A199 road, and to the east of Lochend, with which it overlaps. Restalrig Road is the main route through the area, running from London Road at Jock's Lodge, to Leith Links at the south edge of...
Kirk, which up until then had served that community, was demolished by order of the newly formed General Assembly
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,...
.
The form of worship at the church was also changed in from Roman Catholic to Presbyterian, as a consequence of the 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...
. The church came under the ministry of David Lindsay
David Lindsay (d. 1613)
David Lindsay was of the twelve original ministers nominated to the "chief places in Scotland" in 1560. In 1589 as one of the recognised leaders of the Kirk and as chaplain of James VI of Scotland, Lindsay accompanied James to Norway to fetch home his bride. He was appointed bishop of Ross and a...
who became the Bishop of Ross
Bishop of Ross
The Bishop of Ross was the ecclesiastical head of the Diocese of Ross, one of Scotland's 13 medieval bishoprics. The first recorded bishop appears in the late 7th century as a witness to Adomnán of Iona's Cáin Adomnáin. The bishopric was based at the settlement of Rosemarkie until the mid-13th...
.
The new arrangement of power took time to settle down. In 1571 there was much discussion regarding the transfer of church positions. Noblemen were becoming bishops without any further qualification and positions in the church were being given to inappropriate people – including some who were still not legally adult. In 1572 an "extraordinary" general meeting was called by the regent (the Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar
John Erskine, 17th Earl of Mar , regent of Scotland, was a son of John, 5th Lord Erskine, who was guardian of King James V, and afterwards of Mary, Queen of Scots....
) and held here. The meeting made resolutions but they were not fully implemented as the King (James VI of Scotland was still a minor.
The new status for South Leith Parish Kirk was confirmed by Act of Parliament
Parliament of Scotland
The Parliament of Scotland, officially the Estates of Parliament, was the legislature of the Kingdom of Scotland. The unicameral parliament of Scotland is first found on record during the early 13th century, with the first meeting for which a primary source survives at...
in 1609. This was recorded in the parish records which still survive back to May 1597. Another charter was given by the kirk session in 1608 recognising the landlord as James Hall to whom they agreed to continue paying rent (as they had to his father). The seal attached to this charter is shown here as it contains an illustration of the church which is not dissimilar to its present appearance. The kirk records record that in 1615 the church was added to with a central steeple.
In 1645 the church was involved with sanitary measures during the Great Plague. Over 2,700 people lost their lives – this was half the population. From 1650 to 1657 the Parliamentarians
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
used the church as a Magasin
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
during the civil war. The kirk records record the problems at that time with church services having to be conducted wherever space allowed.
From 1687 until 1692 the confirmation of the congregations as Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
was demonstrated as the church expelled those who were Episcopalian
Episcopal polity
Episcopal polity is a form of church governance that is hierarchical in structure with the chief authority over a local Christian church resting in a bishop...
.
In 1766 the new minister was Henry Hunter
Henry Hunter (divine)
Henry Hunter was a Scottish minister who translated the works of noted scholars including Leonard Euler and Johann Kaspar Lavater.-Biography:...
who went on to publish sermons and more notably translate the work of leading French scientists.
In 1836 the central steeple that had stood since 1615 was dismantled. William Burn reported that this was essential as the steeple rested on the original west wall whilst the other newer walls had sunk and caused the tower to lean. The present tower was not finished until 1848.
Disagreements within the congregation led to a split in 1843 when half the population led by a second minister formed a new church. However the church recovered and reconstruction (and restoration) of the building took place 1847–48 included the installation of a magnificent hammerbeam nave roof which was designed by the architect Thomas Hamilton
Thomas Hamilton (architect)
Thomas Hamilton was a Scottish architect, based in Edinburgh. Born in Glasgow, his works include: the Dean Orphan Hospital, now the Dean Gallery; the Royal High School on the Calton Hill, long considered as home for the Scottish Parliament; Bedlam Theatre; the George IV Bridge, which spans the...
. The church is a category A listed building. The roof design is said to be based on St Isaac's
Saint Isaac's Cathedral
Saint Isaac's Cathedral or Isaakievskiy Sobor in Saint Petersburg, Russia is the largest Russian Orthodox cathedral in the city...
in St Petersburg.
In 1915 over 200 soldiers were killed and a similar number seriously injured in the Quintinshill rail disaster at Gretna. The soldiers were from the 7th company of the Scots Guards who had been recruited locally. Their colours are still kept at the church in memory of the loss to the community. The soldiers are buried in Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery
Rosebank Cemetery is a 19th-century burial ground in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is located at the junction of Pilrig Street and Broughton Road in the Pilrig area, close to the historical boundary of Leith...
in nearby Pilrig.
Location
South Leith Parish Kirk is situated on the Kirkgate in Leith, currently a pedestrian precinct. It sits within the parish which has been described as triangular having three main borders. On the west it borders the historic parishes of North Leith, Edinburgh and St Cuthbert's; on the south by Duddingston and Cannongate and the remaining border on the north east is the natural barrier of the Firth of Forth. Historically the parish covered about 2200 acres (8.9 km²) but over time newer parishes have been identified within its borders as the surrounding population grew and rearranged.The church is home to the 10th Leith Boys Brigade Company and the Girl Guides. They meet at the church's halls in nearby Henderson Street
Henderson Street
Henderson Street is a street in Leith, a district of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland. It forms a curving artery between Great Junction Street and an area known as the Shore, where the Water of Leith river runs into the Port of Leith/Leith Docks...
.
Memorials
The graveyard or kirkyardGraveyard
A graveyard is any place set aside for long-term burial of the dead, with or without monuments such as headstones...
is the burial place for the playwright John Home
John Home
John Home was a Scottish poet and dramatist.-Biography:He was born at Leith, near Edinburgh, where his father, Alexander Home, a distant relation of the earls of Home, was town clerk. John was educated at the Leith Grammar School, and at the University of Edinburgh, where he graduated MA, in 1742...
, author of Douglas
Douglas (play)
Douglas is a blank verse tragedy by John Home. It was first performed in 1756 in EdinburghThe play was a big success in both Scotland and England for decades, attacting many notable actors of the period, such as Edmund Kean who made his debut in it. Peg Woffington played Lady Randolph, a part which...
, and John Pew
Blind Pew
Blind Pew can refer to:*Blind Pew, the character from the novel Treasure Island , reputedly modelled on an actual person, John Pew, who is buried in the kirkyard of South Leith Parish Church. The character is never named "Blind Pew" in the book, but simply "Pew"...
, the man from whom the author Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly derived the character of Blind Pew in the novel Treasure Island. Pew was a maltman and was reputed to have had 25 children. Stevenson was related to the Balfour family so he may have seen the Pew grave whilst visiting the church of his family. Other notable people are Adam Whyte who was Leith's first Provost
Provost (civil)
A provost is the ceremonial head of many Scottish local authorities, and under the name prévôt was a governmental position of varying importance in Ancien Regime France.-History:...
, Hugo Arnot
Hugo Arnot
Hugo Arnot of Balcormo , was a Scottish advocate, writer and campaigner.Arnot was the son of a merchant at Leith, where he was born 8 December 1749. He changed his name from Pollock to Arnot on succeeding to his mother's property of Balcormo, by Arncroach, Fife. He became an advocate 5 December 1772...
, historian, and John Hadaway, Lieutenant of the Bellerophon
HMS Bellerophon (1786)
The first HMS Bellerophon of the Royal Navy was a 74-gun third-rate ship of the line launched on 6 October 1786 at Frindsbury on the River Medway, near Chatham. She was built at the shipyard of Edward Greaves to the specifications of the Arrogant, designed by Sir Thomas Slade in 1758, the lead ship...
during the Battle of the Nile.
In the grounds of the graveyard are structures which contain memorials. The structures appear to have been roofed and to have had dividing walls and gates for each family's memorial. The gates, roof and walls are no longer present.