Blantyre Old Parish Church celebrates 450 years in High Blantyre on Wednesday 8th March 2017. Exactly 450 years before that day, according to the records, finances stopped being paid to the Priors at Blantyre Priory.
In the midst of reformation, Blantyre Old Parish Church was then founded in 1567 by Rev. William Chirnside who had been the priest in charge of Blantyre Priory from 1552 to 1567. A religious academy was set up at Kirkton, and worship took place in a beautiful church (which according to description looked like St Brides in Bothwell), formerly in the Kirkton churchyard/graveyard.
By 1793, the church in the enclosed kirkyard had been demolished and replaced with a more conservative structure, which lasted only until 1863, before being replaced by the current beautiful and more substantial stone church that year at nearby Craigmuir Road.
An evening service on Wed 8th March 2017 commemorates 450 years from 7pm until 8pm. People are welcome to come along to mark the beginning of Blantyre Old Parish Church with an evening service of worship.