Who are we?
A Short History
Martin Luther
John Knox
A Reformation Cartoon: Bible Balance
Priory Ruin
The Reformation
The Reformation
In the 16th century, the Protestant
reformation was sweeping Europe led by the likes of Martin Luther and the
Scotsman John Knox, taught by Calvin, who has special significance for
the Reformation in Scotland. Indeed Knox's statue resides outside the
Church of Scotland Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh. It must be remembered that most of the
first Protestant leaders like Luther and Knox had at one time been Roman
Catholic priests. As the Reformation worked its way Northwards the Prior of Blantyre
Priory, William Chirnside embraced the ideas of the Protestant
Reformation. Prior William (and presumably his whole community) left the
Priory which became a ruin and has now all but vanished.
In 1567, William Chirnside moved up to Kirkton and the services in the Collegiate Church there now became ‘protestant’. In 1791, the parish church, as it now was, recorded as ‘being of great antiquity and in use since the reformation’ was demolished to make way for a new church built in 1773, seating 370. This was replaced in 1863 by the present church to seat 800. This became known as ‘Blantyre Parish Church’ as it was the only church in Blantyre. However, with the building of Stonefield Parish, it became known as ‘High Blantyre Parish Church’ and in 1951 was called Blantyre Old Parish Church’, its present designation.