Polwarth Parish Church facts for kids
Polwarth Parish Church was a church that belonged to the Church of Scotland before it closed its doors in 2004.
It is located on top of a small hill, just off a quiet road. This road connects Greenlaw to Duns in an area once known as Berwickshire. Today, a family called the Letts owns the church, and they live in the house next door, called Polwarth Manse. You can even have weddings at the church now! It's about 4 miles southwest of Duns and 3.5 miles east of Greenlaw.
A Look Back: Church History
The very first days of Polwarth Church are a bit of a mystery. A sign inside the church says there was a church here as early as 900 AD. However, there are no old records to prove this. The first time we find the church mentioned in history is in 1242 AD. That year, David de Bernham, who was a bishop (a high-ranking church leader) from St. Andrews, officially opened the church. He dedicated it to St. Kentigern, also known as St. Mungo.
In 1296, a man named Adam Lamb was the main priest, or Parson, at the 'church of Paulesworth'. He promised to be loyal to King Edward I of England in a town called Berwick upon Tweed. Three years later, King Edward chose William de Sandynstone to be the new priest at Polwarth. By 1378, the church of Polwarth was said to be falling apart. But then, John de St. Clair of Herdmanstoun, whose father-in-law was Sir Patrick Hume, helped out. He provided the money and help needed to rebuild the church.
After the Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was a big change in Scotland in the 1500s, when the country changed from being mostly Catholic to Protestant. After this, in 1567, Adam Hume became the first new leader of the church. He was the third son of the 4th Baron of Polwarth.
Later, in 1683, a man named Sir Patrick Hume got into trouble because he was thought to be part of a secret plan called the Rye House Plot. To avoid being caught, he hid for four weeks in a secret room under Polwarth Church. His brave daughter, Grizel, who later became Lady Grizel Baillie, secretly brought him food while he was hiding.
The church was almost completely rebuilt in 1703. It was built in the same spot as the older churches and still has some parts from those earlier buildings. Polwarth Church is now a very important historical building in Scotland. It's known for being well-kept and still looking much like it did long ago. The church is built from rough stones and has a slanted roof. It's shaped like a 'T' and has a tall, four-part tower. The inside of the church was updated in the 1900s. You can also see the Marchmont family crypt, which is a burial place, through a metal screen at the bottom of the east wall.
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