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 special building in East Saltoun, a village in East Lothian, Scotland. It is a church that belongs to the Church of Scotland. This church, along with Yester Church and Bolton Parish Church, helps serve the people in the area called Yester, Bolton and Saltoun. This area includes the villages of Gifford, Bolton, East Saltoun, and West Saltoun. You can find the church right in the middle of East Saltoun village.
Contents
History of Saltoun Parish Church
Early Beginnings of the Church
The very first church in Saltoun Parish was built a long time ago, in the year 1244. It was built by the Bishop of St Andrews, who was an important church leader. This first church was named after Saint Michael.
Later, in 1633, there was a short period when the church in Scotland was run by bishops. During this time, Saltoun Church and the power to choose its minister were given to the Bishop of Edinburgh. Then, in 1643, control of the church passed to Andrew Fletcher, Lord Innerpeffer, who owned land in the local area.
Gilbert Burnet's Time at Saltoun
A famous person named Gilbert Burnet started working as a minister at Saltoun Church in 1665. He later became the Bishop of Salisbury in England. During his five years at 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 cross shape, which is called "cruciform." The part of the church where the minister gets ready (called the vestry) and the tall tower (called the steeple) are on the eastern side.
Below the church, there is a special burial place for the Fletcher family, who lived at Saltoun Hall. This is where Andrew Fletcher (1655-1716), a well-known politician and writer, is buried.
Joining Parishes
In 1929, the church areas (called parishes) of Bolton and Saltoun joined together. Then, in 1970, the parish became connected with Humbie to the south and Yester (Gifford) to the east. This means they work together, but they are not fully combined.
See also
