St Michael's Parish Church, Linlithgow facts for kids
St Michael's Parish Church is a very important church in Linlithgow, a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It's one of the biggest churches of its kind in the Church of Scotland. Linlithgow has two main churches, and St Michael's is one of them. The town's special protector is St Michael, and the town's motto, or saying, is "St Michael is kinde to strangers" (meaning "St Michael is kind to strangers").
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A Look Back: The Church's History
How the Church Began
The story of St Michael's Church started a long time ago. In 1138, a Scottish King named David I gave permission for the church to be built. It was built where an even older church used to be. The church was officially opened in 1242.
Building and Changes Over Time
A big fire in 1424 destroyed much of the church. Because of this, most of the building you see today was built in the 1400s and early 1500s. King James IV even visited the building work in 1506 and gave a tip to the main builder! The church was finished in 1540. Later, in the 1800s, the church was fixed up a lot.
Kings, Queens, and a Warning
The church is right next to Linlithgow Palace, which was a home for Scottish Kings and Queens. They often came to St Michael's to worship. A famous story tells that before a big battle called the Battle of Flodden, King James IV was in the church. An old man with a staff and a blue robe suddenly appeared. He warned the King not to go to war or listen to women's advice.
Mary, Queen of Scots, and the Reformation
Mary, Queen of Scots, was born in Linlithgow Palace on December 8, 1542. She was baptised, or given her Christian name, right here in St Michael's Church.
Later, in 1559, during a time of big religious change called the Scottish Reformation, some Protestant leaders damaged the statues inside and outside the church. They saw these statues as too "Catholic." They even damaged a statue of St Michael. Today, only that statue of St Michael can still be seen on the outside of the church.
After the Reformation, the inside of the church was changed. In 1646, soldiers led by Oliver Cromwell even kept their horses inside the main part of the church! After they left, the church needed many repairs.
Restorations and New Features
By the early 1800s, the church was in poor condition. Even though repairs were made, some old parts were lost. The inside walls were painted white, and a new plaster ceiling replaced a beautiful old one. In 1820, the stone tower at the top, which looked like a crown, had to be taken down because it was too weak.
Later, in 1871, a minister named Rev Archibald Scott brought the first church organ into St Michael's. He also removed the white paint from the walls. More repairs were done, and the church was rededicated in 1896. However, the tower was still too weak to put the old crown back.
In the late 1800s, beautiful new stained glass windows were added. Then, in 1964, a new crown-shaped spire made of aluminium was put on the tower. This new crown was designed by an artist named Geoffrey Clarke.
Important Ministers of the Church
Over the years, many important ministers have served St Michael's Church. Some of them even became "Moderator," which is a very high position in the Church of Scotland.
- Rev Andrew Bell was Moderator in 1855.
- Rev Donald Macleod was Moderator in 1895.
- Rev Archibald Scott was a minister from 1870 to 1872 and Moderator in 1896.
- Rev Thomas Niven was a minister from 1872 to 1876 and Moderator in 1906.
- Rev Dr John Ferguson was a minister from 1878 to 1913. He helped organize the big restoration of the church.
Another notable minister was the Very Revd Dr David Steel. He was the father of a famous politician also named David Steel. The Very Revd Dr David Steel was Moderator in 1974. The current minister, Rev Dr Liam Fraser, started his role at St Michael's in November 2019.
See also
