Ladykirk, Scottish Borders facts for kids
Ladykirk is a small village in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It's located just north of the River Tweed and the border between Scotland and England.
This village was once called Upsettlington. But King James IV of Scotland later changed its name to Ladykirk. The church in the village is also known as St Mary's Church or the Kirk of Steill. Ladykirk is directly across the river from Norham Castle in Northumberland, England.
Contents
Ladykirk Through History
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Early Meetings and Kings
The land near Ladykirk, known as Upsettlington Green and Holywell Haugh, was an important meeting spot. This was especially true during the wars of Scottish Independence.
In 1291, a group of powerful Scottish nobles met here. They were trying to decide who should be the next King of Scotland. One of them was Robert de Brus, 6th Lord of Annandale, who was the father of Robert the Bruce. At this meeting, John Balliol agreed that Edward I of England was his "feudal superior." This meant Balliol accepted Edward as his lord.
King James IV and the Church
In 1497, James IV of Scotland set up his base at Upsettlington. He was planning an attack on Norham Castle. While there, he even played cards with the Spanish ambassador, Pedro de Ayala. However, an English army led by the Earl of Surrey arrived. This forced James to stop his attack on Norham. Peace talks began, and by August 21, 1497, a peace agreement was reached.
Soon after, King James IV decided to build a new church in Upsettlington. He called it Our Lady Kirk of Steill. Some say he built it to thank God for his safe trip across the River Tweed. Others believe it was to remember the peaceful end of the Norham Castle siege in 1497. An old message, which is now hard to read, said the church was built by James in 1500. This was a special year in the Christian calendar.
Building the church was a big project. Sir Patrick Blacader oversaw the work from 1500. He received money from wool taxes to help pay for it. Later, George Ker of Samuelston took over the project from 1504. In May 1504, a glassmaker named Thomas Peblis came to measure the windows for glass.
King James IV visited the church in August 1501. An organ was even brought in for his visit! The money spent on the church was listed in the royal accounts. It was grouped with payments for the king's palaces and even his navy ships. In 1505, special church items were provided, like a robe for the priest and an altar cloth. Building work continued for some time.
Over time, stories linked the church's founding to James IV's visits to Lady Heron of Ford Castle. It was also connected to the Scottish army's defeat at the battle of Flodden. After these events, the church became an important meeting place near the border.
King James gave the lands of Upsettlington and Holywell to Alexander Lord Home. This included fishing rights and control over the new church. In the 1500s, there were arguments over fishing rights at Holywell between Lord Home and the English at Norham Castle.
Later Years and Treaties
In 1521, important Scottish nobles met at the Kirk of Steill. These included the Earl of Angus and Lord Home. They were leaving Scotland to avoid their political rival, Regent Albany. From Ladykirk, Angus sent his uncle, the poet Gavin Douglas, to meet with an English leader.
In 1551, Mary of Guise, who was ruling Scotland for her young daughter, asked people to meet her at Ladykirk. This was when she returned from France.
The 15th-century church and village are also famous for a special agreement. In May 1559, a treaty was signed inside Ladykirk Church. This treaty was an addition to a larger peace agreement called the Peace of Cateau-Cambrésis. It was signed by representatives from England and Scotland. The Scottish representatives included the Earl of Morton. The English representatives included the Earl of Northumberland.
Notable People
- Rev Prof John Dobie (1859-1892) was the son of Rev William Dobie, who was the minister of Ladykirk.
