St Mary's Church (Biggar)
The St Mary's Church , also Biggar Church or Biggar Kirk , is a church building of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the Scottish town of Biggar in the Council Area South Lanarkshire . In 1971 the structure was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest monument category A.
history
Possibly it is an early Christian site that was already in use at the time of the early Celtic Christianization . A Nikolauskirche at the site is recorded from the year 1164 with Robert of Bigir as pastor. Malcolm Fleming, 3rd Lord Fleming initiated the construction of today's Marienkirche as a collegiate monastery . After his father John Fleming, 2nd Lord Fleming, was put to death, prayers were to be given there for his salvation and that of his wife Jane Stuart . In 1546 the construction for eight canons was completed. It was supposed to be the last collegiate foundation established before the Scottish Reformation .
After the Reformation, the church fell to the forerunners of today's Church of Scotland. A reading by Alexander Peden in Biggar Kirk is recorded. Now used as a parish church, two parishes split off from the parish in the course of the 18th century. It should take until 1977 for these to merge again into one unit. In 1870 the church was modernized. The work was carried out by Scottish architect David Bryce . The oldest of the leaded glass windows also dates from this year . The latest, based on a design by the local artist Crear McCartney , dates from 1991. In 1889 the church received an organ from P. Conacher , which has since been relocated . In the mid-1930s, the building was restored.
description
St Mary's Church is on Carwood Road in the north of Biggar. It is one of the late buildings in the Gothic Perpendicular Style . The cruciform church with a square crossing tower is oriented in east-west direction, with the apse in the east. The ogival tracery along the nave was extended by Bryce. The gallery on the west side was added in 1853. The quarry stone building with natural stone details closes with a slate-covered gable roof . As part of the revision in 1935, the plaster was removed from the interior.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b Information from the parish
Web links
- Network presence of the parish
- Scotland's Churches Trust information
- Entry on St Mary's Church in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Coordinates: 55 ° 37 ′ 30.4 " N , 3 ° 31 ′ 31.3" W.