Saltoun Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Saltoun Parish Church |
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| Location | West Crescent, East Saltoun, East Lothian EH34 5EE |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Reformed; Presbyterian |
| Website | Yester, Bolton and Saltoun Church website |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category A |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Bolton & Saltoun |
| Presbytery | Lothian |
Saltoun Parish Church is a church building located in East Saltoun, a village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is part of the Church of Scotland. This church, along with Yester Church and Bolton Parish Church, serves the areas of Gifford, Bolton, East Saltoun, and West Saltoun. The church building is located right in the middle of the village.
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History of Saltoun Church
The very first church in Saltoun Parish was built a long time ago, in 1244. It was built by the Bishop of St Andrews, who was an important church leader. This first church was dedicated to Saint Michael.
Around 1633, for a short time, the church was controlled by the Bishop of Edinburgh. This was during a period when bishops had more power in the Scottish church. Later, in 1643, control of the church and the right to choose a minister passed to Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer, who was a major landowner in the area.
Gilbert Burnet's Time at Saltoun
In 1665, a minister named Gilbert Burnet began working at Saltoun. He later became a very important church leader, the Bishop of Salisbury. During his five years in Saltoun, he made the church building bigger. He left in 1669 to become a professor at Glasgow University.
The Current Church Building
The church building you see today was built in 1805. It was likely designed by an architect named Robert Burn. The church has a special shape, like a cross. The part that sticks out to the east holds the vestry (a room where clergy prepare) and the steeple (the tall tower).
Below the church, there is a special underground room called a burial vault. This is where members of the Fletcher family, who owned Saltoun Hall, are buried. One famous person buried there is Andrew Fletcher (1655-1716), who was a well-known politician and writer.
Joining Parishes
In 1929, the church areas (called parishes) of Bolton and Saltoun joined together. Later, in 1970, this combined parish became connected with Humbie to the south and Yester (Gifford) to the east.
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