St John's Church, Jedburgh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St John's Church |
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| OS grid reference | NT328669 |
| Location | Jedburgh |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Scottish Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Founded | 1843 |
| Founder(s) | Cecil Chetwynd Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian |
| Consecrated | 15 August 1844 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed |
| Designated | 16 March 1971 |
| Architect(s) | John Hayward |
| Groundbreaking | 1843 |
| Construction cost | £4,000 |
St John's Church is a special church in Jedburgh, Scotland. It belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church. This church is part of the wider Anglican family of churches. A lady named Cecil Chetwynd Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian, started it. It is considered a very important old building. This means it has a special "Category A listed" status.
Contents
History of St John's Church
How the Church Began
Lady Cecil Chetwynd-Talbot married John Kerr, 7th Marquess of Lothian in 1831. She then moved to live in Scotland with her husband. Her favorite home was Monteviot House. The family's main home was Newbattle Abbey. In 1840, she moved to Monteviot. This was so she could go to the closest Episcopal church in Kelso. Her husband passed away in 1841.
Lady Cecil became very interested in a religious movement. It was called the Oxford Movement. This group believed that the Anglican church should bring back some older traditions. These traditions were similar to those in the Roman Catholic Church. People who followed this idea were called Tractarians. John Henry Newman was a main leader in this group. He was also Lady Cecil's spiritual guide.
Building the Church
Lady Cecil Kerr paid for St John's Church to be built. It was close to her home at Monteviot. The church cost £4,000 to build. It was big enough for 200 people to sit inside. The main architect who designed the church was John Hayward. The inside design is thought to be by William Butterfield. He also designed the church's lychgate.
The first stone for the church was laid in July 1843. The church was officially opened just one year later. This happened on 15 August 1844. Important religious leaders gave speeches that day. They continued these speeches for two more days. Many people came to the opening. There was a parade with four bishops and many clergy. A robed choir from Edinburgh also joined.
Changes and Support
Two years after the church opened, John Henry Newman became a Roman Catholic. In 1851, Lady Cecil Kerr, who founded the church, also became a Catholic. After her conversion, Lady Cecil built another church. This was St David's in Dalkeith. It was for the Catholic people there.
Lady Cecil never went into St John's Church again. However, her family continued to support it. Her nephew, Bertram Arthur Talbot, 17th Earl of Shrewsbury, helped the church. Her son, Schomberg Kerr, 9th Marquess of Lothian, also supported it. He later became the Secretary of State for Scotland. Lady Cecil died in Rome in 1877. She was buried in her Dalkeith church.
From 1962 to 1967, John Habgood was the main priest, or Rector, of St John's Church. He later became a bishop and a lord. St John's Church is still a very important building today. It has a "Category A listed" status.
Church Services
The current Priest-in-Charge is Reverend Andrea Hofbauer. She also leads services at St. Cuthbert's in Hawick. She started this role in December 2023.
The church holds Holy Communion services. These happen on Sundays and Thursdays. Both services start at 10 a.m.
See also
