Polwarth Parish Church
Encyclopedia
Polwarth Parish Church was a member church of the Church of Scotland
before closing in 2004.
It is situated atop
a mound off a minor road leading from the A6105, Greenlaw
to Duns
road in the old county of Berwickshire
, now part of the Scottish Borders Council. It lies 4 miles (6.4 km) south–west of Duns and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Greenlaw at .
by 900AD. Unfortunately there are no records to substantiate that claim. The first records of the church comes in 1242AD when David de Bernham
, bishop of St. Andrews, consecrated the church and dedicated to St. Kentigern. (St. Mungo)
In 1296, Adam Lamb was the Parson at the 'church of Paulesworth' when he swore fealty
to King Edward I of England
at Berwick upon Tweed. Three years later Edward presented William de Sandynstone to the living at Polwarth. The church of Polwarth was said to be in a ruinous state by 1378 but John de St. Clair of Herdmanstoun in East Lothian
, a son–in–law of Sir Patrick Hume of Marchmont, came to the rescue and provided the means of re–building the church.
.
Later, in 1683, Sir Patrick Hume was implicated in the Rye House Plot
and he hid for four weeks in the crypt at Polwarth Church to escape detection. His daughter, Grizell, later Lady Grizell Baillie took him food during his self-imposed imprisonment. The church was virtually rebuilt in 1703 on the same site as the previous churches and contains parts of the earlier buildings. Polwarth Kirk is protected as a category A listed building: "Prominently sited, well-detailed and surprisingly intact, Polwarth Church remains one of the most significant buildings in the parish and indeed, within Scotland as a whole". The church is built of rubble
below a slated roof. The 'T' shape building is highlighted by a four–stage tower, and the interior was extensively renovated in the 20th century. The church also contains the Marchmont family crypt which can be seen through a grille at the bottom of the east wall.
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....
before closing in 2004.
It is situated atop
a mound off a minor road leading from the A6105, Greenlaw
Greenlaw
Greenlaw is a small town situated in the foothills of the Lammermuir Hills on Blackadder Water at the junction of the A697 and the A6105 in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. Greenlaw was first made the county town of Berwickshire in 1596, and was the first town to take on this role since the...
to Duns
Duns
Duns is the county town of the historic county of Berwickshire, within the Scottish Borders.-Early history:Duns law, the original site of the town of Duns, has the remains of an Iron Age hillfort at its summit...
road in the old 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...
, now part of the Scottish Borders Council. It lies 4 miles (6.4 km) south–west of Duns and 3.5 miles (5.6 km) east of Greenlaw at .
History
The origins of the kirk are somewhat vague though a plaque in the church buildings claims there was a church dedicated at Polwarth, Scottish BordersPolwarth, Scottish Borders
Polwarth is a village and parish in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland. It is located at , between Greenlaw and Duns, in the former county of Berwickshire....
by 900AD. Unfortunately there are no records to substantiate that claim. The first records of the church comes in 1242AD when David de Bernham
David de Bernham
David de Bernham was Chamberlain of King Alexander II of Scotland and subsequently, Bishop of St. Andrews. He was elected to the see in June 1239, and finally consecrated, after some difficulties, in January, 1240. He died in 1253, and was buried at Nenthorn, near Kelso.-References:*Dowden, John,...
, bishop of St. Andrews, consecrated the church and dedicated to St. Kentigern. (St. Mungo)
In 1296, Adam Lamb was the Parson at the 'church of Paulesworth' when he swore fealty
Fealty
An oath of fealty, from the Latin fidelitas , is a pledge of allegiance of one person to another. Typically the oath is made upon a religious object such as a Bible or saint's relic, often contained within an altar, thus binding the oath-taker before God.In medieval Europe, fealty was sworn between...
to King 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...
at Berwick upon Tweed. Three years later Edward presented William de Sandynstone to the living at Polwarth. The church of Polwarth was said to be in a ruinous state by 1378 but John de St. Clair of Herdmanstoun in East Lothian
East Lothian
East Lothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy Area. It borders the City of Edinburgh, Scottish Borders and Midlothian. Its administrative centre is Haddington, although its largest town is Musselburgh....
, a son–in–law of Sir Patrick Hume of Marchmont, came to the rescue and provided the means of re–building the church.
Post–Reformation
In 1567, Adam Hume, 3rd son of the 4th Baron of Polwarth was the first rector at the church after the Scottish ReformationScottish Reformation
The Scottish Reformation was Scotland's formal break with the Papacy in 1560, and the events surrounding this. It was part of the wider European Protestant Reformation; and in Scotland's case culminated ecclesiastically in the re-establishment of the church along Reformed lines, and politically in...
.
Later, in 1683, Sir Patrick Hume was implicated in the Rye House Plot
Rye House Plot
The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York. Historians vary in their assessment of the degree to which details of the conspiracy were finalized....
and he hid for four weeks in the crypt at Polwarth Church to escape detection. His daughter, Grizell, later Lady Grizell Baillie took him food during his self-imposed imprisonment. The church was virtually rebuilt in 1703 on the same site as the previous churches and contains parts of the earlier buildings. Polwarth Kirk is protected as a category A listed building: "Prominently sited, well-detailed and surprisingly intact, Polwarth Church remains one of the most significant buildings in the parish and indeed, within Scotland as a whole". The church is built of rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
below a slated roof. The 'T' shape building is highlighted by a four–stage tower, and the interior was extensively renovated in the 20th century. The church also contains the Marchmont family crypt which can be seen through a grille at the bottom of the east wall.
List of post–Reformation ministers
- 1567 Adam Hume
- 1593 Alexander Gaittis
- 1604 Alexander Cass
- 1652 David Robertson
- 1664 George Holiwell
See also
- List of places in the Scottish Borders
- List of places in Scotland
- Rye House PlotRye House PlotThe Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York. Historians vary in their assessment of the degree to which details of the conspiracy were finalized....