Crichton Collegiate Church facts for kids
Crichton Collegiate Church is an old and important church in Midlothian, Scotland. It's located near the small village of Crichton. This historic building has a long story, dating back to the 1400s. It has seen many changes over the centuries, from being a grand church for a noble family to a local parish church. Today, it's a special place used for events like weddings and concerts.
Contents
Origins and Early History
How it Began
Around 1440, a powerful Scottish lord named William Crichton, 1st Lord Crichton started building this church. He was the Lord Chancellor of Scotland, a very important job! On December 26, 1449, Lord Crichton officially opened the church. He built it to thank God, Jesus, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and other saints.
What is a Collegiate Church?
Like many other collegiate churches, Crichton Church was built for a noble family. It was meant for the Crichton family to pray for their souls. A special group of people worked there. This included a Provost (the head priest), eight Prebendaries (other priests), two choir boys, and a Sacrist. They all helped with services and prayers. The church was built in a Gothic and Romanesque style. It had a large central tower. The front part, called the nave, was used by local people for worship.
Changes Over Time
In the 15th century, the Crichton family supported a different leader, Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany. This made them lose favor with the Scottish Crown. Their lands were taken away. Later, during the Scottish Reformation in 1560, the church was badly damaged. The glass was taken from the windows. The floor was turned back to earth. The beautiful stone designs were destroyed. The church became a ruin and could not be used for services.
Restoration and Modern Use
Becoming a Parish Church
By 1569, the church was being used as the local parish kirk (church). A minister named Adam Johnston was appointed to lead services. In the 1580s, major repair work began. However, the nave (the main part of the church) remained in ruins, and it still is today. In 1641, a special law was passed. This law declared Crichton Church to be the parish church forever.
Bringing the Church Back to Life
More restoration work happened in 1729, but it wasn't done very well. In the 1820s, more efforts were made to fix the old church. But it wasn't until the late 1800s that the church was fully restored. This big project was done by architects Hardy & Wright from Edinburgh. New stained glass windows were added in 1898. New oak pews and a pipe organ were installed in 1899.
The Church Today
The Church of Scotland closed the church in 1992. After that, the Crichton Collegiate Church Trust took over the property. The Trust worked hard to restore the organ, stained glass windows, lighting, walls, roof, and tower in 1998.
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viewed from the corner of the graveyard
Today, the church is no longer used as a regular parish church. It is cared for by the Crichton Collegiate Church Trust. It's a popular place for Christian weddings and funerals. It also hosts instrumental and choral concerts, and other cultural events. The church is open for visitors. An Edinburgh-based music company, Delphian Records, uses the church for many of their recordings. Famous musicians like The Marian Consort and guitarist Sean Shibe have recorded there. The church also holds inter-denominational services about six times a year. Crichton Church is a Category A listed building, which means it's a very important historic building.
Location
Crichton is about 1.4 miles (2.3 km) west of Pathhead. It is also about 7.5 miles (12.1 km) south of Scotland's capital city, Edinburgh. To reach the church, you leave the A68 road at the north end of Pathhead. Then, you turn onto the B6367 minor road at Crichton. You will follow a single-track lane signposted for Crichton Castle. Before you reach the castle car park, the church will be on your left. It is located at grid reference NT381616.
