Lesmahagow Old Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lesmahagow Old Parish Church |
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| 55°38′16″N 3°53′08″W / 55.63778°N 3.88556°W | |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Website | LOPC |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lesmahagow |
| Presbytery | Lanark |
Lesmahagow Old Parish Church is a church in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is part of the Church of Scotland and is the biggest church in the town of Lesmahagow.
Contents
A Look at Its History
Long ago, even before the 1100s, there was a community of Celtic monks called Culdees here. The church was named after a saint called St. Machutus, also known as St. Malo. Later, King David I of Scotland gave the church and its lands to a group of monks from the Tironensian Order. These monks had already built Kelso Abbey in Kelso.
Fires and Rebuilding
In 1335, the Priory Church was burned down by soldiers. Many people had sought safety inside the church at that time. After this event, a new church was built. This church lasted until the early 1800s.
The church you see today was built in 1804 on the same spot. It was first built as a simple, rectangular building. Later in the 1800s, a rounded section called an apse was added. An organ was also installed in 1889. In 1934, a Chapter House was added. The church suffered serious fire damage in 1981. After the fire, the apse was repaired, and the whole church was redecorated.
Beautiful Stained Glass
The church has some amazing stained glass windows. The middle part of the East Window shows "The Descent from the Cross." This is a copy of a famous painting by Peter Paul Rubens. He painted the original for an altar in Antwerp Cathedral in 1614.
Ministers of the Church
The current minister is Rev Morag Garret. Before her, Revd Aileen Robson served from 2003 to around 2011. Other recent ministers include Revd Sheila Mitchell (1995-2002) and Revd William Niven (1969-1994).
Lesmahagow Old Parish Church works closely with Coalburn Parish Church. This means they share the same minister.
Sources
- Church of Scotland Yearbook
- Churches to Visit in Scotland (2000 edition), published by St Andrew Press, Edinburgh
- Local information
See also
