Burntisland, East Leven Street, Burntisland Parish Church
Church (16th Century) (1592)
Site Name Burntisland, East Leven Street, Burntisland Parish Church
Classification Church (16th Century) (1592)
Alternative Name(s) Episcopal Church Of Scotland; Kirk Of The Bible; Scholar's Brae; St Columba's Parish Church
Canmore ID 52793
Site Number NT28NW 25
NGR NT 23350 85712
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/52793
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- Council Fife
- Parish Burntisland
- Former Region Fife
- Former District Kirkcaldy
- Former County Fife
NT28NW 25.00 23350 85712
NT28NW 25.01 23358 85675 Churchyard
(NT 2335 8570) Ch. (NAT)
OS 6" map, (1938)
The present parish church was built in 1592.
RCAHMS 1933; OSA 1792; NSA 1845.
The parish church of St. Columbus is in use for public worship.
Visited by OS (A C) 11 March 1959.
St Columba's Church is still in use.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
NT28NW 25.00 23350 85712
Built in 1592 and interesting as an early effort at Protestant planning.
Inventory No. 68. p. 38.
NMRS Print Room
Burntisland Parish Church & Churchyard
2 prints - exterior
W Schomberg Scott Photograph Collection
Acc No 1997/39
EXTERNAL REFERENCE:
Edinburgh Public Library -
James Grant's Sketch Book in MSS - Nos. 255, 256. Notes with view, circa 1850
Field Visit (1 August 1928)
Parish Church, Burntisland.
The present parish church stands in the town, a position more convenient than that of Kirkton, where the original church [NT28NW 5] was situated. It was built in 1592, with the consent of the heritors (1), and at the expense of the inhabitants, apparently as a result of the growing importance of the town, which had been made a royal burgh in 1568. It is supposed to have had a church in Amsterdam as model (2), and its plan and method of construction are probably without parallel elsewhere in Scotland. The building is almost square, measuring 59 feet 5 inches by 59 feet 2 inches within the walls, and is surmounted by a central tower supported on four piers, which enclose a central area some 21 feet square internally. From the piers which are joined by semi-circular arches, rampant arches are carried to the four corners of the building, their thrust being received on external angle buttresses.
The tower and buttresses are built of ashlar, the church walls are of rubble, harled. The windows, south door, and porch are relatively modern. The four lower courses of the central tower are original, but all above this level are later, their period being indicated by the date 1749, which is incised on the sill of the west window. An entrance, opening into a gallery, has at some time been added in the east wall of the church. It is reached from a forestair with a good moulded balustrade. The entrance is a moulded doorway, inscribed on the lower member of the cornice with the words: GODS . PROVIDENCE. IS . OUR . INHERITANCE . JUNE . 6 . 1679, and having an anchor on the cushioned frieze and a lugged architrave. Above the west door is an inserted stone bearing the date 1592 and an anchor.
Within the church there is a wooden gallery on each wall. The fronts of these galleries are panelled and painted, the painting being considerably restored. The panels bear at various places dates (1602, 1622, 1711, 1733), mottoes and representations of ships, mariners with nautical instruments, the insignia of the Baxters' Incorporation represented by a wheat-sheaf surmounted by the ‘peel’ or baker's shovel and ‘slice’ in saltire, a hanging balance and a merchant's mark, the last being dated 1723 and incorporating what seems to be the monogram A.V.
The 17th-century pew, which is built round three sides of the north-eastern pier, is an interesting feature. It is made of oak, inlaid in places with other woods, and has a canopy supported on moulded and reeded shafts. The front and back are panelled, two panels on the back being armorial, while another bears the date 1606. The first armorial panel, which the initials S.R.M. appearing on it connect with Sir Robert Melville, bears: Gules, a sun argent between three crescents of thes ame. The second is parted per pale. On the dexter side are the Melville arms as above, while the sinister side carries those of Hamilton: Gules, a heart or between three cinquefoils argent. Above the latter panel is a third bearing the initials S.R.M. and D.I.H., the latter for Dame Joanna Hamilton (cf. [RCAHMS 1933], 211).
SEPULCHRAL MONUMENTS. (1) Against the east wall of the churchyard is a Renaissance mural monument dated 1689, commemorating Captain Andrew Watson, his wife Isobel Boswell, and their son John Watson of Dunnikeir (cf. [RCAHMS 1933] No. 366) with his wife Euphan Orrock. The initials of all four appear in monogram in the tympanum enclosing a shield parted per pale: dexter, on a fess surmounting a tree eradicated, a crescent between two stars; sinister, 2nd grand quarter, 1St and 4th, a lion rampant, 2nd and 3rd, a rose; 4th grand quarter, on a chevron erminois, three crescents.
(2) A recumbent slab in front of the last monument, commemorating David Wedderburn (d. 1628), bears in addition to inscriptions a shield enclosed by the initials M.D.W. and A.W. and bearing the impaled coats of Wedderburn and Watson thus: dexter, a chevron between [three roses] ; sinister, on a fess surmounting a tree eradicated, a crescent between two stars.
RCAHMS 1933, visited 1 August 1928.
(1) Statistical Account, ii, p. 431. (2) New Statistical Acct., ix, p. 420.
Photographic Survey (1942)
Photographic survey of buildings in Burntisland, Fife c1942 by the National Buildings Record Scottish Council.
Publication Account (1987)
This church replaced the former parish church, the ruins of which still stand at the Kirkton, north of the town (NT 230863). Burntisland had grown considerably in the 16th century and achieved Royal Burgh status in 1568. To symbolise this prosperity the inhabitants of the burgh decided to build a new church. Permission was obtained from the heritors and the townsfolk raised the funds. The design made a considerable contribution to the development of the architectural traditions of the Reformed church, producing a plan form and method of construction unparalleled in Scotland. The church was erected in 1592 and local tradition suggests that it was copied from Noorderkerk, Amsterdam. It does not resemble that building but is closer in planning terms to the Oosterkerk in Amsterdam, the Nieuwe Kerk in Haarlem and the Scot's Kirk in Rotterdam (now destroyed), although all four churches are later than Burntisland. The idea may indeed have come from the continent but, until a model is found there, it must be regarded as a Scottish design.
The building is approximately 18 m square internally and four piers enclose a 6 m square in the centre. The piers are connected by semi-circular arches, whilst rampant arches spring from external angled buttresses to about the piers on the diagonal. The tower and buttresses are constructed of ashlar, and the walls are harled rubble. The four lower courses of the tower are original, but the top section dates from 1749. A stone above the west door has the date '1592' and an inverted anchor.
The gallery is entered from the east by means of a forestair with a good moulded balustrade. The moulded doorway architrave is inscribed on the lower member of the cornice: 'GODS. PROVIDENCE. IS. OUR. INHERITANCE. JUNE 6 1679.' and has an inverted anchor on a cushioned frieze.
Internally, the church has a wooden gallery on each wall. The fronts of these galleries are panelled and painted. The panels bear a number of dates, mottoes and representations of ships, seamen and nautical instruments. There are also a number of craft or guild symbols.
The pulpit is sited against the south-west pier leaving an entrance area, vestry and stair to the gallery in that corner. The minister could then preach diagonally across the church. This was an important break with the traditions of the Roman Catholic churches and expressed the Presbyterian requirement to hear the spoken word. Directly opposite the pulpit is a fine 17th century canopied pew, constructed of oak inlaid with other woods. The front and back are panelled and the canopy is supported on moulded and reeded shafts. It bears the date 1606, the initials S.R.M. and the arms of Sir Robert Melville.
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Fife and Tayside’, (1987).
