Stepping into this iconic 380-year-old building is like travelling through time with centuries of history to explore. First dating back to the 17th century, the function of the Auld Kirk in Kirkintilloch has changed a few times over the years, but the building itself? Surviving and thriving. Its imposing Gothic tower is still standing and can be seen from almost anywhere in the town, while the original 1644 date stone can still be seen on the exterior south gate wall.
Even the foundations on which the Kirk was built are steeped in history. The site is near Peel Park, where a Roman fort on the Antonine Wall was built. A castle belonging to the noble Scottish family the Comyns originally stood there, but this was likely destroyed on the orders of King Robert the Bruce in the 14th century.
(Image: EDLC Trust) Before he became king, Bruce had murdered John Comyn inside Greyfriars church in Dumfries by stabbing him to death amid a bloody battle for succession. The kirk began life as St Mary’s Parish Church and was designed to resemble a Greek cross, with traditional Scottish crow-stepped gables. It operated as a church for an incredible 270 years, but as the congregation grew, the original building grew less suitable.
Bad ventilation and crowded conditions led to parishioners threatening to stop attending. This led Reverend Thomas Angus Morrison to request a new building, and from 1914 the Auld Kirk building continued to be used as a Sunday school. In 1961, it was passed into th.
