Legerwood Kirk, Scottish Borders
Encyclopedia
Legerwood Kirk is an ancient and historic Church of Scotland
church in the former county of Berwickshire
, Scotland. It is situated half a mile east of the hamlet of Legerwood
and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south east of Lauder
in the Scottish Borders
, on an unclassified road east of the A68
highway at . The parish church
at Legerwood serves a wholly agricultural community and there are barely any clusters of houses worthy of being known as a village.
in 1164 and they held the church and its tithes until the coming of the reformed church in Scotland in 1560. There is more mention of Legerwood in 1296 when the vicar, Walter, swore fealty to Edward I of England
in 1296 at Berwick-on-Tweed. The church still retains its original Norman chancel
.
prayer book as advocated by the Stuart kings in London Charles I
and Charles II
. William Calderwood died in 1709. In 1684 the congregation of Legerwood were fined for attending Conventicles. The minister's manse was not built until 1812.
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
church in the former county of Berwickshire
Berwickshire
Berwickshire or the County of Berwick is a registration county, a committee area of the Scottish Borders Council, and a lieutenancy area of Scotland, on the border with England. The town after which it is named—Berwick-upon-Tweed—was lost by Scotland to England in 1482...
, Scotland. It is situated half a mile east of the hamlet of Legerwood
Legerwood
Legerwood is a village by the Eden Water, in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, near Lauder, near the Southern Upland Way.Legerwood Kirk is outside the village and has been present there since at least 1127....
and 6.5 miles (10.5 km) south east of Lauder
Lauder
The Royal Burgh of Lauder is a town in the Scottish Borders 27 miles south east of Edinburgh. It is also a royal burgh in the county of Berwickshire. It lies on the edge of the Lammermuir Hills, on the Southern Upland Way.-Medieval history:...
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, on an unclassified road east of the A68
A68 road
The A68 is a major road in the United Kingdom, running from Darlington in England to the A720 in Scotland.From Darlington, the road runs north, bypassing Bishop Auckland, and running through West Auckland, Toft Hill and Tow Law, past Consett and Corbridge...
highway at . The parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
at Legerwood serves a wholly agricultural community and there are barely any clusters of houses worthy of being known as a village.
History
There has been a religious establishment at Legerwood since, at least, 1127 as John, a priest at Ledgaresude, as it was known, was a witness to a charter of that year. Walter de Lauder granted the church to the monks of Paisley AbbeyPaisley Abbey
Paisley Abbey is a former Cluniac monastery, and current Church of Scotland parish kirk, located on the east bank of the White Cart Water in the centre of the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire, in west central Scotland.-History:...
in 1164 and they held the church and its tithes until the coming of the reformed church in Scotland in 1560. There is more mention of Legerwood in 1296 when the vicar, Walter, swore fealty to Edward I of England
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
in 1296 at Berwick-on-Tweed. The church still retains its original Norman chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
.
Noted minister
The Reverend William Calderwood was minister at Legerwood from 1655 to 1709 but was evicted from his charge for 27 years for his refusal to conform to the Act of Glasgow - failure to preach with the EpiscopalianScottish Episcopal Church
The Scottish Episcopal Church is a Christian church in Scotland, consisting of seven dioceses. Since the 17th century, it has had an identity distinct from the presbyterian Church of Scotland....
prayer book as advocated by the Stuart kings in London Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
and Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. William Calderwood died in 1709. In 1684 the congregation of Legerwood were fined for attending Conventicles. The minister's manse was not built until 1812.