1863 Old Church at Kirkon Cross, in the Kirkyard
This photo dates from 1863 and shows the old Church in the kirkyard at High Blantyre Kirkton Cross. This of course was before the current High Blantyre Old Parish Church was built. By 1863, the church was in such poor condition and i suspect this photo records that, as the same year, the new “Blantyre Old Parish” church, further along Main Street was constructed. Today, the kirkyard has no buildings within it, but how quaint this must have looked opening out on the junction with Hunthill Road.
There is a suggestion that the ground was raised, along with the kirkyard wall, to enable further burials, but this is unproven. The gates shown are still in the same position as the current kirk gates. Nowadays, at the entrance, there is a cairn, with stones mounted on it, which came from this very steeple pictured. It is recorded that a previous church even to this one at the end of its life in 1863, once stood there.