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history |
The church of South Leith was first built within the parish of Restalrig in 1483, possibly by Logan of Restalrig or, as is thought more likely, by the Trade Guilds of Leith. The church was known in the early days as St Mary's Chapel. During the reformation troubles in 1560, when Leith was occupied by French troops brought over by Mary of Lorraine, English troops badly damaged much of the old building, so much so that parts of the church were left beyond repair. Additionally in 1560, one of the first acts passed by the General Assembly of the Reformed Church of Scotland, was that the parishioners of Restalrig should transfer their place of worship to the church of St Mary's in Leith. Restalrig church was henceforth left to fall into a ruinous state and the Church of St Mary's (which was referred to as the ""New Kirk of Leith from 1547) became unofficially recognised as the parish church. In 1609 an act of Parliament gave official recognition to the removal of the parishioners of Restalrig to the Church in Leith and establishment of the Leith church as the Parish Church was formalised in the same year. After 1609 the name St Mary's continued in use interchangeably with Leith for a time, however in 1606, and act had been passed which established the Church of North Leith, so increasingly the name of South Leith came into being. In 1973 South Leith united with Leith Kirkgate under the name of Leith South. The kirk session sits within the Presbytery of Edinburgh. |