Laigh Kirk, Paisley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paisley Laigh Kirk (Now in Union to form Stow Brae Kirk) |
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| 55°50′28″N 4°25′30″W / 55.841°N 4.425°W | |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Presbyterian |
| Website | The Laigh Kirk Website |
| History | |
| Founded | 1738 |
| Associated people | Rev John Witherspoon |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Greenock and Paisley |
The Laigh Kirk, Paisley was an important church in Paisley, Scotland. It was part of the Church of Scotland. It served as the main church for the town, which was called a "Burgh" back then.
Contents
History of the Laigh Kirk
Founding the Church
The Laigh Kirk was started in August 1738. The town of Paisley and the local church group, called the Presbytery, created it. It became the main church for the entire town. This happened because Paisley's population was growing fast. Also, the old church, Paisley Abbey, was in bad shape. It was also outside the town limits, across the River Cart.
In August 1738, the town of Paisley officially became its own church area. This new area was separate from the older, larger Parish of Paisley. The church's first record book called it the "Parish of the Burgh of Paisley."
Growing and Changing
Paisley continued to grow, so the church needed to expand. In 1756 and again in 1781, the Laigh Kirk's area was divided. This led to the creation of two new churches: the High Kirk and the Middle Kirk. These three churches worked together. They were part of something called the "Paisley Joint Session."
The first Laigh Kirk building was on New Street. By 1820, the church had too many members. So, the Laigh Kirk moved to a much bigger building. This new building was located on George Street.
The Laigh Kirk kept growing as Paisley grew. To meet the needs of its members, the Laigh Kirk helped start a new church. This new church was on Neilston Road and was called the South Church. It began as a "Chapel of Ease." This meant it was a smaller church under the Laigh Kirk's main leadership.
The Disruption and Reunion
A big event happened in 1843, known as the Disruption of 1843. Many churches left the Church of Scotland. The South Church, which was connected to the Laigh Kirk, also left. It joined a new group called the Free Church of Scotland. It then became known as the Free South Church.
It took over 140 years for these two parts to come back together. In 1985, the two churches reunited. By then, they were known as St George's Low and St Andrew's. The name Laigh Kirk was brought back in Paisley. It served the community from its building on Causeyside Street. This building was originally built for the Free South Church of Scotland.
On January 6, 2011, the Laigh Kirk joined with another church. This was the former Castlehead Church of Scotland. The new church is now called Stow Brae Kirk. It holds its services in the old Laigh Kirk buildings on Causeyside Street.
Laigh Kirk and Help for the Poor
Helping Those in Need
In the early 1800s, Paisley's cotton trade faced big problems. This caused many people to lose their jobs. The Laigh Kirk and the town leaders disagreed about who should get help. This help was given under the existing Scottish Poor Laws. These laws were meant to support people who couldn't work.
The church found it could only afford to help those who were physically unable to work. It could not help people who were healthy but had no jobs. This led to a money crisis for both the church and the town. The government had to step in. This situation played a big part in changing the old Poor Laws.
A Champion for the Poor
The minister at the time was Reverend Robert Burns. He became a very important person. He worked hard to help poor people in cities. He wrote a famous book about the laws for the poor. It was called 'Historical Dissertations on the Law and Practice of Great Britain, and particularly of Scotland with regard to the Poor'. Many people used his book to support their cause. He even went to London four times to ask the government for help.
Buildings of the Laigh Kirk
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Original Laigh Kirk building
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St George's Low, Paisley
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Free South, Paisley
The first Laigh Kirk building on New Street was changed into an Arts Centre in the 1980s. It is still used today as the Paisley Arts Centre. In the late 1980s, the St George's (Low) building was turned into apartments called St George's Court. The outside of the building was kept the same, but the inside was completely changed.
Ministers of Note
- A very famous minister was Reverend John Witherspoon. He was born in 1723 and passed away in 1794. He later moved to America. He was one of the people who signed the United States Declaration of Independence. He signed it as a representative for New Jersey.
- Reverend Robert Burns was another important minister. He worked to help people and improve society.
- The last minister of the Laigh Kirk was Reverend David Thom. Mr. Thom is now the minister of the united church, Stow Brae Kirk.
