Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

KIRKYARD: site dates from 12th century. Wide variety of gravestones; one of earliest dated 1712; one of latest dated 1906, erected in memory of Mary Somerville, 'the last of the weavers'. Other gravestones of note include burial stone of parents of William and John Hunter, the famous surgeons from Long Calderwood; the 1763 monument to Will Dykes who was killed, aged two, when a cart wheel crushed him whilst he was following his father. His gravestone has symbolic carvings characteristic of the period: angel, skull and cross-bones, hourglass and open book. Flat bed tomb of Reverend James French, minister of the Old Parish Church between 1791 and 1835; he was also tutor of young Walter Scott.

KIRKYARD GATE: 20th century; semi-elliptical arched entrance gateway with large circular decorative feature; wrought-iron gates.

BOUNDARY WALLS: 1794; NW wall coped rubble; SW wall, short rubble wall with wrought-iron railings, with spear finials, and wrought-iron gates.

OFFERTORY HOUSE / SESSION HOUSE: 1794; very simple square building, now roofless, built onto SW wall; square and snecked rubble.

STUARTS OF TORRANCE MAUSOLEUM: 18th century; probably refaced 1801; single storey, rectangular plan, classical mausoleum. Rusticated base; upper portion has regular pattern of Doric pilasters; blind panels; a delicate freize; ridged blocking course. Entrance to mausoleum boarded, inscription above door reads: 'The burial place of the Stuarts of Torrance 1733-1801'.

Statement of Special Interest

B-Group with Old Parish Church. East Kilbride church was confirmed to the Bishops of Glasgow in 1178, by a bull from Pope Alexander III. However, it is believed that the site was used for worship much earlier than that, and not always for Christian ceremonies. The circular shape of the kirkyard indicates that it may once have been a pagan site, which was adopted and adapted by the early Christians. This was quite a common practice and the word 'kirk' derives from the gaelic 'circ', which means circle. Until 1794, the kirkyard was a right of way and was unfenced. A school lay within the grounds so it also functioned as a playground for the children. In 1794, the current walls were built and access provided via a gate in the SW corner. At this corner, an Offertory House was built. The elders would shelter here to collect and count the contributions of the congregation. The building also doubled as a Session House. The choice of this corner as the entrance was probably influenced by the location of the manse at Brousterland, which was just over the road, and most convenient for the minister. The parish kirkyard remained the town's burial ground until the 20th century; a new cemetery was laid out at Bosfield in 1903. Throughout the 19th century the existence of only one burial ground was a source of amusement to the Old Parish Church's congregation. They had the satisfaction of assuring all the splinter groups that 'they would all end up back at the Parish church'.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.