Shottskirk facts for kids
Shottskirk, often called Kirk O'Shotts Parish Church, is a historic church in Salsburgh, North Lanarkshire, Scotland. Many people know it as "The M8 Church" because it sits right beside the busy M8 motorway. This church serves the villages of Salsburgh and Shotts, along with smaller communities nearby. The last full-time minister for the church was Reverend Sheila Spense, who retired in 2000.
Contents
What is Kirk O'Shotts?
Kirk O'Shotts is still an active church today. It is a very important building, listed as a Category B building, which means it has special historical or architectural value. You can easily spot it from the M8 motorway, especially at night when it's lit up. The church's graveyard has old gravestones, some dating back to 1624.
Long ago, Kirk O'Shotts was a Catholic church called Saint Catherine's Chapel. It was built around 1450. The area around the church was once part of a much larger parish that stretched far and wide.
The Legend of Bertram de Shotts
A local legend tells of a giant named Bertram de Shotts. He was said to live in the area and scare travelers on the road between Glasgow and Edinburgh. A reward was offered to anyone who could capture him. A man named William Muirhead found Bertram at his favorite spring. William defeated the giant, and that spot is where Saint Catherine's Chapel was later built.
Why is it called Saint Catherine's Chapel?
People often wonder why the chapel was named after Saint Catherine. In 1457, the area of Shotts became its own parish. Lord Hamilton, an important local figure, helped rebuild the chapel. He also started a hospital there for people in need. This was confirmed by a special document from Pope Sixtus IV on April 30, 1476. This date is Saint Catherine's Feast Day, which might be why the church got its name.
How the Church Changed Over Time
After the Reformation in 1560, Kirk O'Shotts became a Protestant church. The old Saint Catherine's Chapel needed many repairs over the years. In 1640, church leaders decided the building needed to be fixed and partly rebuilt. This work took more than eight years to finish.
The exact spot of the old church is marked by a headstone. This stone belongs to Samuel Meuros, who worked at the church for many years. He was buried where his old desk used to be. The stone says: "Here stood the Precentor’s desk in the Kirk of Bertram Shotts which was rebuilt and extended in 1642."
The old church was a long, narrow building. It was about 70 feet long and 25 feet wide. It could only hold about 409 people. By 1817, the old church was not safe anymore. So, it was decided that a much bigger church was needed. The new church would be able to seat about 1,200 people.
The New Church Building
The current church building opened on October 26, 1821. It cost £2,270 to build. Years later, on July 23, 1876, lightning struck the church's spire and completely destroyed it.
One special item from the old church is the sandstone baptismal font. This is a large basin used for baptisms. It was lost for a while and later found being used as a feeding trough for pigs! After being cleaned, it was brought back to the church. It is still used for baptisms today.
As the population grew from 1841 onwards, more churches were needed in the area. Several new churches were opened:
- Calderhead Church (1860)
- Harthill and Benhar (1877)
- Cleland Church (1878)
- Caldercruix (1893)
The Shotts Revival of 1630
A very important event happened at Kirk O'Shotts on Monday, June 21, 1630. This was known as the Shotts Revival. A young preacher named John Livingstone gave a sermon in the churchyard. He spoke about a Bible passage from Ezekiel 36:25-26. His sermon lasted two and a half hours. It deeply touched the hearts of about 500 people that morning. Livingstone preached for many years after this, but he said he never saw such a powerful change in people's hearts again.
Covenanters and the Church
From 1638 to 1688, there was a big struggle in Scotland. This was between Presbyterians, who believed in a church led by elders, and Episcopacy, which had bishops. Many people in Shotts strongly supported the Presbyterian cause. They were known as Covenanters. They often held secret outdoor church meetings called "conventicles."
One main place for these meetings in Shotts was a large mossy area between Benhar and Starryshaw. Here, famous Covenanter preachers like Donald Cargill and John Kidd spoke to large, armed groups. Nearby is a large stone known as ‘Peden’s Stane’, named after the martyred Covenanter Alexander Peden.
There is also a Covenanter's stone in the churchyard for William Smith. He fought in the Battle of Rullion Green in 1666. In 1678, a large army of 10,000 men camped near Kirk O'Shotts. They were on their way to Bothwell Bridge, where they defeated the Covenanters. It is thought that 160 men from Shotts fought in that battle.
The Patronage Act
In 1712, a law called the Patronage Act was passed. This law changed how ministers were chosen. Instead of the church members choosing their minister, a wealthy patron would choose. This caused a lot of problems in the parish. Some people left the church and started their own group. They built a new church at Shottsburn. It wasn't until 1975 that this group rejoined Kirk O'Shotts.
The Last Minister (for a while)
In 1979, Reverend Sheila Spense became the minister of Kirk O'Shotts. She was one of six women who had asked the Church of Scotland to allow women to become ministers. This right was granted in 1968. Reverend Spense retired in 2000. The house where she lived was sold because the church decided to share its next minister with another church.
A Haunted Graveyard?
Some people say that the church graveyard is haunted. A driver once reported hitting a mysterious person dressed in grey on the road next to the church (the B7066). However, when the driver got out to check, the person had disappeared into the mist.
St. Catherine's Well or "Kate's Well"
Kate's Well, also known as St. Catherine's Well, is an old natural spring. It is very important historically and sits on holy ground at the foot of Kirk O'Shotts Parish Church. The well dates back to the 14th century. Its name comes from the church's past as St. Catherine's Chapel, which was linked to Catherine of Sienna.
