New Kilpatrick

Was there truly a “New” Kilpatrick? Here at New Kilpatrick Church in Bearsden, that question hangs in the air. New Kilpatrick, also known as East Kilpatrick, wasn’t always new. It began as part of the larger parish of Kilpatrick, possibly founded by St. Patrick himself centuries ago. The name itself, Kilpatrick, comes from the Gaelic “Cille Phàdraig,” meaning “Patrick’s Churchyard.” Imagine the area then, a single entity tied to the powerful Paisley Abbey. In 1649, a dramatic shift occurred. The old parish split, giving birth to New Kilpatrick. This wasn’t a mere offshoot. It was a division of both religious and civic authority, a sharing of wealth and influence between Old and New Kilpatrick. The very stones of this church, New Kilpatrick Church, built in 1649 from local quarries, bear witness to that division. Even the construction wasn’t without drama. Sir Umphra Colquhoun of Balvie initially allowed stone to be quarried from his land. But midway through the project, he confiscated the workers’ tools, halting construction. The parishioners took him to the Scottish Parliament and won. The church was finished, a testament to the community’s determination. Over time, New Kilpatrick flourished, giving rise to new communities and parishes like Drumchapel, Knightswood, and Temple. The original church, built in 1649, was replaced by the current New Kilpatrick Church in 1807. It was enlarged later in the 19th and early 20th centuries. The church building you see today, with its elegant architecture and stained glass, echoes the growth and change of the parish itself. New Kilpatrick itself eventually faded from everyday use with the formation of Bearsden Burgh in 1958. The name may be gone from maps, but here at New Kilpatrick Church, the story endures. The spirit of the original parish lives on.