Yester Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yester Parish Church |
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| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Reformed |
| Website | Yester, Bolton and Saltoun Church website |
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| Parish | Yester, Bolton and Saltoun |
| Presbytery | Lothian |
Yester Parish Church is a historic church in the village of Gifford, which is in East Lothian, Scotland. It belongs to the Church of Scotland. The church serves the local area, including the villages of Yester, Bolton, and Saltoun. It is also connected with Humbie Parish Church.
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A Look at Yester Parish Church's History
The Yester Parish Church building you see today is not the first church in this area. People have worshipped here for a very long time. The earliest church recorded was St Bathan's Chapel, way back in 1241. You can still find its old ruins in the woods near Yester House. Another old church once stood in a place called Duncanlaw.
The Current Church Building
The church building that stands now was built in 1708. That means it's over 300 years old! It is located in the northern part of Gifford village. You can find it right at the main road junction, just behind the village's war memorial. Because of its age and special design, the church is recognized as a Category A listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.
John Witherspoon: A Famous Connection
One very important person connected to Yester Parish Church is Rev. John Witherspoon. He was born in Gifford manse (the minister's house) in 1723. His father, Rev. James Alexander Witherspoon, was the local minister at the time.
John Witherspoon later moved to America. There, he became a major leader in the Presbyterian Church. He is especially famous because he was the only clergyman to sign the United States Declaration of Independence. This document declared America's freedom from British rule.
See also
