450th Anniversary (1567-2017)
This year we celebrate our 450th Anniversary from Priory to Parish Church. Throughout the year we will be celebrating with a variety of events from worship services, a music concert, a pilgrimage walk, a wedding fayre, a full weekend of celebrations through to BBC Radio 4 ‘Any Questions?’ broadcasting live from our church.
The idea and pioneer behind the 450th Anniversary Celebrations was the late Senior Elder Robert Freer. He had a passion for his church, his church family and most of all his Lord, who certainly filled his head with big ideas. Who’d have thought BBC Radio 4 would come to sunny Blantyre?! We also have to tip our hat to the late Charlie Neilson who kept and gathered so much memorabilia, photographs and documents of historical value, and would have loved to see these celebrations.
Various original and transcribed parish documents
To the best of our knowledge all content of this website has been provided by the document owners. If you believe any document should be removed then please contact the church with your reasons and we will arrange for removal.
There is a history book about Blantyre Old Parish Church written by Gordon Cook available for sale. It costs £6.50 and to get a copy simply contact the church.
We go way back and our Church was founded in 1567 by the Rev. William Chirnside who had been priest in charge of Blantyre Priory from 1552 to 1567.
The Parish Church in use from the Reformation stood until 1793 when it was replaced by a plain and barn like building erected on the same site. This was demolished in 1863 when a larger and more beautiful church was erected within 50 yards of the original site.
Our Church bell was presented to the heritors of Blantyre Parish in 1863 by Mr. & Mrs. Leadbetter & Co. Founders, Glasgow. In 2013 our Steeple was in desperate need of repair and through kind and generous funding from the local people of Blantyre, our congregation and local companies; the Church Steeple was made safe and fully restored to its former glory. The amount raised exceeded what was required for the Steeple's repairs and therefore allowed the inclusion of the Church Bell's restoration.
The old burial ground adjoining the church is no longer in use but is maintained and cared for by the local council. The oldest gravestone discovered so far is dated 1665 and is Rev. John Heriot, 90, born 1575 when Mary Queen of Scots, was on the throne.
