|
Admin
history |
The church of Lesmahagow, which is thought to have been first established as early as the 8th century, was dedicated to St Machnuit and had belonged to the Tyronesian Priory of Lesmahagow. The priory was granted a right of sanctuary by King David but this was violated in 1335 when the church was burned down by an English army under the command of John of Eltham, brother of King Edward I. The parish church was rebuilt and survived until 1804 when the present church was erected on the original site. As there existed two further charges within Lesmahagow (Lesmahagow Abbey Green and Lesmahagow Cordiner; both former United Free charges), the first charge became known in as Lesmahagow Old in 1929, when the United Free Church passed back into the Established Church. Lesmahagow Old was linked with Coalburn in 1998 and then the two charges united in 2017 to form Coalburn and Lesmahagow: Old Church of Scotland. A further union took place with Lesmahagow Abbey Green in 2020, the united congregation taking the name Coalburn and Lesmahagow Church of Scotland. The churches of Coalburn and Lesmahagow Old continued in use, and the Abbeygreen building was aquired by a Free Church congregation. The Lesmahagow Old church building was closed for worship and in 2025 was put up for sale. Worship continued in the Coalburn church building. The kirk session sits within the Presbytery of Lanark and formerly the Synod of Clydesdale. |