Prestongrange Parish Church facts for kids
Prestongrange Parish Church is a historic church in the small town of Prestonpans, located in East Lothian, Scotland. It's part of the Church of Scotland, which is the national church of Scotland. This church was built in 1596, making it one of the very first churches constructed in Scotland after the big changes of the Scottish Reformation in 1560. In 1606, Prestonpans became its own church area, called a parish, after being part of the Tranent parish for many years.
Before this church, there was an older one near Prestonpans that dated back to the 1100s. This earlier church was managed by religious leaders from Holyrood Abbey. However, it was destroyed in 1544 during a conflict known as the "Rough Wooing." This happened because the Scottish people didn't want their young Princess Mary (who would later become Mary, Queen of Scots) to marry the son of King Henry VIII of England, Prince Edward.
Contents
The Church's History
Early Days and Building
The first minister of the new Prestongrange Church was a man named John Davidson. He was so dedicated that he paid for the church to be built using his own money. The land for the church was a gift from the Hamilton family, who were the local landowners, or lairds, of Preston.
Brave Ministers and Key Events
Reverend Davidson was known for speaking his mind. He wasn't afraid to criticize church leaders or even King James VI of Scotland. Because of his strong opinions, he was even put in prison in Edinburgh in 1601. After he was released, he was told he could never leave the Prestonpans parish again.
Since 1596, 27 different ministers have served at this church. One notable minister was William Carlyle, whose son was a famous writer known as Jupiter Carlyle. William Carlyle was the minister during the Battle of Prestonpans on September 21, 1745. He watched the battle from the church tower and later wrote about what he saw.
Another important minister was William Bruce Cunningham. He was in charge when a major split happened within the Church of Scotland in 1843. Later, in 1988, Moira Herkes became the first lady minister at Prestonpans, which was a significant moment for the church.
Changes Over Time
Renovations and Updates
The church building has been updated and improved several times over the centuries. It was extensively renovated in 1774 and again in 1891. These changes helped create the church building we see today. Only the clock tower and some of the surrounding stone walls are from the original church built in 1596. If you look closely inside the roof, you can still see the outline of where the original west wall used to be.
Church Reunions
In 1843, there was a big disagreement within the Church of Scotland, which led to many people leaving their churches. This event is known as the Disruption of 1843. At Prestongrange, many members left the church, which was then called Preston Church. These members, led by their minister William Bruce Cunningham, eventually built their own church nearby. It was first called the Free Church of Scotland and later the United Free Church.
Happily, the Church of Scotland and the United Free Church reunited in 1929. The former United Free Church congregation then took the name Grange Church. Even better, in 1981, the two congregations in Prestonpans — Prestongrange Church and Grange Church — joined together again to form the Prestongrange Parish Church we know today.
The Kirkyard
The church has a kirkyard, which is a churchyard or cemetery. It holds many interesting and old gravestones. Some former ministers of the church are buried here, as well as soldiers who fought in the Battle of Prestonpans. It's a place where you can learn a lot about the local history and the people who lived in Prestonpans over the centuries.
