Imagine, stones whispering secrets of centuries past. Here before us stands Corstorphine Old Parish Church. It is more than just a building. It’s a testament to faith, history, and community.
Corstorphine Old Parish Church was once St. John’s Collegiate Church. It sits at the heart of old Corstorphine now part of Edinburgh. This Category A listed building has witnessed countless moments.
Let’s journey back. King David I gifted a chapel in Corstorphine to Holyrood Abbey in 1128. Before that, it was linked to St Cuthbert’s Church. By 1158, it was a church with altars. They were dedicated to Saint Anne and the Holy Trinity.
In 1404, Sir Adam Forrester added a burial chapel. He was chamberlain to Anabella Drummond. The church then honored John the Baptist. Sir John Forrester, his son, elevated it to a collegiate church in 1429.
The present church was built in 1429. It was finished by 1437. The sandstone structure features a tower. It also has an octagonal spire, chancel, and nave with transepts. Earlier Gothic elements were incorporated. Characteristic barrel vaults were erected.
Thomas Marjoribanks became vicar in 1548. He stayed through the Reformation until 1567. Rev Andrew Forrester became minister in 1590. Gogar joined the parish in 1599.
The collegiate church dissolved in 1634. In 1646, it became the parish church. The 12th-century church was torn down. A new aisle was added. Stones from the old church formed the porch.
Architect William Burn restored it in 1828. This resulted in a two-story sacristy. He renovated the nave. He removed a 17th-century aisle. He built a new aisle and transept.
Only the east choir and sacristy retain original roofs. George Henderson remade the nave and aisle vaults during the 1903-1905 restoration.
Scottish heraldic panels and pre-Reformation relics are inside. James Ballantine created the Victorian stained glass. Gordon Webster and Nathaniel Bryson made the 20th-century windows. William Birnie Rhind drew inspiration from Da Vinci’s Last Supper for the carved corbels.
Outside, there’s a war memorial, vault, and gatehouse. They are enclosed by a boundary wall and iron gates. The ancient stone font in the south transept came from Gogar church in 1955. In 1913, St Anne’s chapel of ease was built.
The church boasts stained glass by the Bannantine Brothers. Nythaniel Bryson and Douglas Strachan also contributed. A memorial window honors Jessie Chrystal Finlayson and John Macmillan. They were parents of women’s rights activist Jessie Chrystal Macmillan.
Many ministers have served here. Nicol Ballantine was the first provost. Robert Cairncross became Abbot of Holyrood Abbey. George Fordyce was the parish’s longest-serving minister. Rev Moira McDonald is the current minister.
Corstorphine Old Parish Church stands as a symbol of enduring faith. It reflects architectural evolution and community spirit. Its stones hold stories. They echo through time. They invite us to reflect on the past. They inspire us to embrace the future.