Chirnside Parish Church facts for kids
Chirnside Parish Church is a historic church, also known as a kirk, that belongs to the Church of Scotland. It is located in the beautiful Scottish Borders area, between the towns of Duns and Eyemouth. The church is in the village of Chirnside, which is about 6 miles east of Duns. A very famous racing driver, Jim Clark, is buried in the churchyard here.
Contents
History of Chirnside Church
The First Church Building
The first records of Chirnside and its church date back to the early 1100s. This was during the time of King Edgar of Scotland. A special document, called a charter, gave the land and the church to the monks who lived in Durham. This early church was known as Ecclesia de Chirnyside.
The very first church building at Chirnside was quite simple. It was a rectangular shape with a roof made of thatch and a floor of earth. The main altar was at the east end of the building. A priest would lead church services there every day.
Important Moments in Early History
On April 13, 1242, the Ecclesia de Chirnyside was officially dedicated. This important event was carried out by David de Bernham, who was the Bishop of St Andrews. Many other churches in the area were also dedicated by him around that time.
In 1524, a young man named Luke Acheson was keeping watch from the church tower. Sadly, he was killed by six English freebooters, who were like robbers.
Changes After the Reformation
Rebuilding and New Ministers
The old church was badly damaged during the Scottish Reformation. This was a big change in Scotland when the church moved away from the Roman Catholic faith. Because of the damage, the main part of the church was repaired a lot in 1573. The first minister of the new reformed church started his work that same year.
More big repairs happened in 1757. A new house, called a manse, was built for the minister. During these renovations, a wall on the western tower was kept. It had a special message carved into it that said "Helpe the pyr" (Help the poor) and the date 1573. An old archway from the 12th-century church, called a Norman archway, was also kept.
Modern Updates and Unions
In 1904, a man named Edward Marjoribanks, 2nd Baron Tweedmouth made many changes to the inside of the church. He did this after his wife, Lady Tweedmouth, passed away and was buried at the church. He added a hall, a new room for the minister (called a vestry), and a new tower. After the Baron died, his son built a special gateway to remember his father. This is known as the Tweedmouth Memorial Gateway.
Over time, different church groups in Scotland joined together. The Free Church and the United Free Church had already joined. Then, in 1929, they joined with the Church of Scotland kirk. The North Church, which was another church building, closed in 1973. However, it reopened in 1984 as a community center for everyone to use. Another church building, the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland, was taken down in 1982.
Chirnside Parish Church is now a "Category B listed building". This means it's an important building with historical value that needs to be protected. As mentioned earlier, the World Champion Formula One driver Jim Clark (1936–1968) was buried in Chirnside Kirkyard after he passed away in April 1968 in Germany.
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