the beginning...

The missionaries of Iona sent Corman to preach the word of Christ in answer to the earnest petition of Oswald, King of Bernecia - a kingdom which then included the south-east of Scotland.

Corman was succeeded by Aidan who had moved from Iona to teach the way of Christ to the people of Northumbria and neighbouring Bernicia using Lindisfarne as the centre of his operations. One of Aidan's community was sent to establish a monastery at Old Melrose in around 645 AD.

It was at Melrose in 1136 that King David I of Scots founded a new Cistercian Abbey, and, from Melrose Abbey, a monk called Ralph, was called by King David to build a 'new house' by the River Esk. It was at 'Newbotyl', which means 'a new dwelling place', that the foundation stone for the Abbey of St. Mary was laid in 1141.

Little remains of the Abbey, above ground level, outwith the space occupied by the present House. Among the remains dating back to this time are: a small arch hidden within a tree to the East of the Italian Gardens, and the Prayer Cell within the 'Monks Cave' at the entrance to a drift coal mine some 150 yds upstream of the Bailey Bridge on the South Bank of the river.

The lands later passed to the Kerr family, whose descendant, the 11th Marquis of Lothian, in 1936, gifted the present building and 125 acres of land to the Nation to be used as an adult residential college. Part of the later monastic buildings still exist and are to be found within Newbattle Abbey College.

Post-reformation...

After the Reformation, in 1560, most of the remains of the Church, were removed and used to build a new Church, the proverbial "stone's throw away", so still within the Abbey grounds. What resulted was a new independent Newbattle Church that would see traumatic times, as Scotland, in particular, entered the Period of Unsettlement.

Little is known about the Newbattle Church built after the Reformation. It was situated somewhere on the other side of the road from the present church. While it has always been protestant, the form of church government has been at different times Presbyterian and Episcopalian. The first permanent minister was Adam Foulis who was translated from Heriot to Newbattle in 1570. He was followed by Robert Wilson in 1573, John Heries in 1583, Alex Ambrose in 1608 and then John Aird in 1615. During John Aird's incumbency, there were between 800 and 900 Communicants within the Parish. The Newbattle Communion Sacrament became such an occasion that it was held in the Churchyard Cemetery. Here a tent was erected and the Welsh Family Table monument was used to dispense not only the Communion but also refreshments after the Service. Perhaps hospitality suites in Churches are not such a modern phenomena as we may think.  

Robert Leighton, who was minister from 1641 to 1653 before becoming Principal of Edinburgh University, is still remembered today as a scholar and preacher.

a new building...

In 1720, the building was in such a poor state of repair that the minister, the Rev. Charles Campbell, thought it would possibly fall down. In September 1725, the Marquis of Lothian presented plans for a new church to Dalkeith Presbytery and the heritors (landowners). Edinburgh architect Mr Alexander McGill had drawn up these plans, and, although the project was approved, work did not commence on the new building, and on a clean site, until 1727. The Design included making use of material from the old Church, where suitable, in the construction. In fact a considerable amount of stonework was transferred, to such an extent that all that remained of the old Church was the Crypt, which remained as the Burial Chamber for the Kerr/Lothian family. The completion year is generally accepted as 1729.

At the beginning of the 18th century, the floor of a church consisted of earth, and, while the laird would erect a loft or seat, the majority of the congregation sat on stools placed upon the earthen floor. Although, in 1739, lofts were erected in the north and south aisles of Newbattle church, it was not until 1750 that seats were purchased and the passage-ways paved.

The South wall of the Church has three traditional style stained glass windows. This wall also supported a Gallery and the Organ until 1937, when the Gallery was removed and the Organ re-sited.

The large central circular window, depicting the Creation, was designed by Catherine Hamilton, the mother of the Rev J Arnott Hamilton, a minister at Newbattle from 1922 to 1952. The window to the left of the circular window, is a memorial to those of the Parish who served during World War 2. The third window commemorates that Newbattle was the Garrison Church for the Forces personnel, in particular the R.A.M.C., stationed at the Abbey and the adjoining Camp.

An unofficial record of those who gave of their service during the period of the Second World war and beyond, remain written on the walls just inside the door beside the organ. Some stationed here, some recovering from wounds and/or traumas, some from local voluntary organisations. Examples of the many entries are:

C.P.O. W. ROSS No. P/M X 79091, (Born 5th July 1920) c/o Engineering Mess H.M. Cruiser Hawkins, No.2 Battle Sqn Mediterranean Fleet... adding in Memory of:
A.B.D.TRIST (18) Killed 1st June 1942, due to enemy action in Sydney Harbour Australia. Late of H.M. Ships Cornwall, Cossack, Aurora. Buried in the R.N. Cemetery Sydney 3rd June 1942.

NAN (AGNES) PENNAN, TORRYBURN, FIFE, ATS S/No W297386 1943.

AC2 ROSS R.A.F. ARBROATH, 14/3/43.

T COLLINGWOOD, R.A.M.C. 18/01/41.

HUGH CAIRNS, STIRLING, ARGYLE & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS. 1945

A. WHITE, NANTWITCH, CHESHIRE, ARGYLE & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS 1945

JOHN S DICKSON, 21st MIDLOTHIAN BOY SCOUTS