RATHO PARISH CHURCH
Ratho Parish Church ©
Ratho Parish Church dates back to 1243 when it was dedicated to St. Mary, on the 5th May that year. This is recorded in the Pontificale, which is in the National Library of France. However, a building must surely have stood for some time on this site prior to its dedication.
Bayamunds Valuation of Ecclesiastical Benefices in the Arch Deaconry of Lothian (“the tithe of the Holy Land”)
1274-5
Rector
ecclesie de Ratheu 70 Marc.
1275-6 states:-
Oachen (Ratheu) Lynlithqn 60 Marc
Some 20 years later, the prior of Coldingham was appointed collector of the Archdeaconry of Lothian, between 1290-95 and the rectory is valued at 50lbs. 3s. 10d.
In 1297 Richard, parson of Ratheu is on the “Ragman Roll”.
Ingeram Lindsay made a virtue of necessity by eventually resigning all claim to the church of Ratho after three definitive sentences were brought against him. See Letters of Pope Benedict xiii and The Calendar of Supplications to Rome.
In 1429 Sir John Forrester founded a Provostry or collegiate church in the kirk yard of the then existing parish church of Corstorphine. The second chapel was probably built into this collegiate church for there is no mention of its separate existence after the year 1429 and they were both dedicated to the same patron saint, St. John the Baptist. The original foundation of the collegiate was for five prebendaries, of whom one was to be called the Provostand two boys; and for their maintenance, Sir John consigned the annual rents of 120 ducats of gold, on condition that he and his successors should have the patronage of these appointments and on the understanding that, if the kirk of Ratho were united to the provestry, four or five other prebendaries should be added to that establishment and maintained out of the fruits of the benefice of Ratho. Pope Eugenius IV sanctioned this foundation by a Bull in which he directed the Abbot of Holyroodhouse, as his apostolic vicar, to ascertain whether the foundation and consignation had been made in terms of the original grant; and on being satisfied on these points, to unite and incorporate the church of Ratho, with all its rights, emoluments and pertinents, to the college for ever.
From the Scottish Benefices, 1418-1488
1436 19th February - Robert Heryot, canon of Glasgow, in the name of the provost and Collegiate Church of Corstorfyne, for the whole annates of the parish church of Rathow, St Andrews diocese (£40 sterling), to be united to the said Church of Corstorphine when it will become void by cession or decease.
Collated in Bologna, 1436, 7Id. (7th January), anno 6.
Item: 23rd February the foresaid provost and College had a bull in formam corrige - viz., expressing the value in pounds: equal value and date.
1440 9th July - David Ogilvj, principal, for annates of the parish church of Rathou, St Andrews diocese (£60 sterling), void by promotion of Alexander to the church of Dunkeld. Collated Florence, 6 ld. (8th June), anno 10.
1440 11th July - From David Ogilvi, 75 florins by his own hands for the annates of the Parish church of Rathou, St Andrews diocese. Non habuit acquittanciam.
Pope Eugenius issued a bull on 15th July 1444, limiting the number of prebendaries to nine. This was confirmed and carried into effect by James Kennedy, Bishop of St. Andrews, who proceeded in virtue of it to arrange and distribute the property of the Collegiate Church among its several office bearers, by a charter dated 30th October 1444.
To the Provost, the church of Clerkington, the teinds of Ratho, as well south as north, the teinds of Rolshaw (probably Roddinglaw)and six merks Scots, at two terms in the year, out of the common funds of the college.
To the eight prebendaries or chaplains, as follows: -
To the two chaplains of Gogar and Addistown, the teinds of upper Gogar and Addistown, with ten merks Scots, half yearly, out of the common purse.
To the two chaplains of Haltoun and Dalmahoy, the teinds of Haltoun and Dalmahoy, with ten merks Scots half yearly, out of the common purse.
To the two chaplains of Boningtoun and Plet and Hillwood, with ten merks Scots, half yearly out of the common purse.
To the two chaplains of Nortoun and Byres, the teinds of Nortoun and Byres, with ten merks Scots, half yearly out of the common purse.
To the two boys in the said college, 24 bolls of usual victualand (£) L.3 yearly, from the common purse, to be equally divided between them.
For the stipend of the vicar and the burdens of the kirk of Ratho, maintenance of the fabric, expense of bread and wine for the sacraments, of the alter, lights, cups, booksand other ornaments of the chaplainries and college, (£) L.12 from rents mortified by Sir James Forrester, besides the fruits of the altarage of the kirk of Rathoand 3 chalders of victual out of the teinds, above appropriated to the provost of the college.
(Sir L. Stewart’s Coll).
In his History of Corstorphine, Mr Wood quotes two manuscript rentals but without giving their dates or mentioning where they are to be found, in both of which valuations of the provostry are contained: -
In the first, which he calls a carefully compiled Manuscript Accounts of Benefices, Præpositura de Corstorphine is rated at (£) L.46. 10s. 3d. and the prebends are stated as eight in number, viz. Bonytoune, Plat, Norton, Ratho Byres, Overgogar, Halderstoun, Dalmahoy and Haltoun. The second, which he calls “A Manuscript Roll and Rental of Small Benefices”, rates the provostry at 500 merksand separately values the eight prebends of Half Haltoun, Half Dalmahoy, Half Gogar, Half Addiston, Half Norton, Half Byres, Half Bonytoune and Half Platt at 450 merks, leaving 50 merks for the provost’s salary.
In the Books of Collections of the Thirds, the revenues of the collegiate church after the Reformation are said to have consisted of the teinds of Ratho and parsonage of Clerkingtonand are estimated in money at (£) L.122. 13s. 4d. Scots.
REGISTER of the PRIVY SEAL
Item 1703, 8 November 1578. Striveling castle.
Presentation of Robert Fynnie to the vicarage pensionary of Ratho, in the diocese of Sanctandrois and sheriffdom of Lowthiane, vacant by decease of sir James Bischope; directing Patrick, Archbishop of Sanctandrois, to examine the said Robert and admit him if found qualified to serve as reader. Xiv, 116 v.
In a Bond of Caution dated 18th July 1589, Mr. James Watson (owner of Saughton Estate), becomes surety in £1000 for Margaret Douglas, relict of James Douglas of Knightsbrig, that she will not injure Richard Thomson, minister of Ratho. £1000 was a vast sum then and why would this widow wish to assault the minister of Ratho? A possible answer to this is that this lady was the other woman in Watson's life and mother of his daughter.
At the Reformation, when church property was in general annexed to the Crown, an exception was made in favour of provostries and other endowments, which had been originally founded by private individuals for their own ease and spiritual advantageand the existing patrons were then allowed either to dispose of their revenues to bursars in the universities, or to apply them to any other purpose consonant with the principals and spirit of the Reformation; (The patronage and part of the teinds of Ratho were sold by James Lord Forrester in 1670 to Charles Maitland of Hatton). Accordingly we find Sir George Forrester, in 1621, applying to Parliament for authority to separate the parish church of Corstorphine, with manse, glebe, teinds, fruits and rent of the same from the provostry and to unite the four prebends of the provostry (i.e. the teind sheaves of Ratho), to the parish kirk, but to reserve a certain sum “to be payit by the ministers of Corstorphine out of these revenues to the actual minister of Ratho”.
A few years afterwards, when more enlightened opinions became prevalent, regarding the application of church property, another act of Parliament was obtained by Sir George, then Lord Forrester, dissolving the four prebends, the whole revenues of which were drawn from lands situated in the parish of Ratho, from the parish church of Corstorphine, as “prejudicial to the kirk of Rathoand repugnant to the common course and order intended for the plantation of kirks, whereby it is thought fit that each minister shall receive competent maintenance out of the teinds of his own parish”.
In 1690, the widow of William Stewart, who had been minister at Ratho until forced to remove himself and family from the manse there as the rabble at that time had threatened to burn it down if he should continue to stay there any longer or should continue to preach at the said Kirk, sued for the stipend, the Privy Council found in her favour and ordered that all the various parts should be paid to her and if needs be, letters of Horning were to be issued should anyone default.
Church West Gable ©
Originally an oblong shaped, barn-like building, the Church has undergone many changes since its dedication. Part of the North wall was broken down to allow two wings, the Bonnington and Dalmahoy aisles, to be built by these families in order to provide burial places below and ‘Lairds’ lofts above.
In the vaults lie the remains of Sir Alexander Gibson of Pentland who died in 1693 and John, Earl of Morton who died in 1829. Later, the Lauderdale family added another wing to the south of the building. Underneath it are the resting-places of the 5th and 6th Earls and the 7th Earl and his Countess.
In 1874, whilst alterations were being carried out on Ratho Church, a vault was opened and the coffins of James, Earl of Lauderdale, who died on 17th August 1789 aged 71, and Mary Turner Lambe, Countess of Lauderdale, who died on the 18th July 1789 aged 56 years, were seen.
Belonging to the church are two benefactions by Lord Maitland of Hatton. One consists of two communion cups of massive silver, bearing this inscription: -
‘Given by Richard, Lord Maitland in 1684 to the service of God for the church of Rutha’.
The other consists of a baptismal plate and ewer with the Lauderdale Arms and the inscription: -
‘For the service of God, given by Richard, Lord Maitland to the parish church of Ratho anno 1685’.
These cups were carried off to his estate in the south by the Earl of Lauderdale at the period of the Revolution. For what reason it is not known, but probably for the safe custody of the above in those troubled times. One of the first minutes of the Kirk session on record contains the appointment of a committee for the recovery of the same. The committee, it appears, waited first upon Sir John Dalmahoy to request his assistance in procuring their restoration but he, being in prison, could give them no aid. A deputation was forthwith sent to Lauder to wait upon Lord Maitland from whom, upon granting receipt they received the utensils. Since that day they have been in the safe custody of the ministers and Kirk session.
A bronze handbell dated 1695 from the church is in the National Mueseum of Scotlands possesion. 'The Deid-Bell' which was rung within the church before the anouncement of a death and carried and rung before the coffin at the funeral.
Church Windows and Niche ©
There is evidence, in the outer foundations of the west wall, that an important edifice in stone was there long before the Norman period. Dr. Ross, while on a visit to the church with other members of the Scottish Ecclesiologial Society in October 1913 said, “Here and there in the outer wall genuine Norman history is quite visible, but the only piece of detail now remaining exposed is about a quarter of the width of the west doorway on the south wall”.
Norman Arch (Parish Church) ©
On the east wall of the chancel is a portion of one of these rare and beautiful consecration crosses which speak of a medieval building.
Cross in Church Wall ©
Ratho Parish Church Restoration
1930-1933
ABSTRACT OF INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
| INCOME |
| To Heritors’ Assessments with Interest, etc. | £ 778 4 9 |
| To Collections made in 1930 | £ 292 6 1 |
| To Response to appeal for £600 | £ 570 11 1 |
| To Response to appeal for £295 | £ 287 8 10 |
| To Special Contributions | £1299 0 0 |
| To Baird Trust Grant | £ 750 0 0 |
| To Balance from Session Funds | £ 45 17 5 |
| £4023 8 2 |
| EXPENDITURE |
| By masons work | £1431 5 0 |
| By joiner work | £1407 4 2 |
| By slater work | £ 246 13 5 |
| By plaster work | £ 65 6 1 |
| By plumber work | £ 98 2 3 |
| By painter work | £ 62 4 7 |
| By glazier work | £ 110 4 2 |
| By electric work | £ 160 10 9 |
| By heating work | £ 94 5 0 |
| By organ rebuilding and electric motor | £ 9 10 10 |
| By organ pipes | £ 9 0 0 |
| By Earl of Morton memorial | £ 5 19 6 |
| By curtains | £ 230 0 0 |
| By Architect's fees and outlays | £4023 8 2 |
In 1930/3 the above extensive alterations and restoration work was carried out on the fabric under the care of Dr. James Lumsden. The square windows in the east gable were replaced with a Gothic arch window, which added more beauty and light to the Church. After this work was completed, Mr William Brown, a native of Ratho gifted the following: - carpet, lectern, elders’ chairs and a baptismal font. The communion table, which was renewed at this time, is said to be made of Dalmahoy wood.
In 1961 to celebrate their bi-centenary, the Masonic Lodge gifted to the church a new pulpit fall and two vases.
In 1964 a complete new organ was installed at a cost of £4,000.
Many of the Church’s ministers (there have been 21 since the
reformation), were men of outstanding ability: -
1568-1572 the stipend for Minister James Hammiltoun was £100.
Appointed Jan.1589 David Thomson, (believed to be the founder of New Hampshire in the USA), also drew a stipend from Gogar and Corstorphine, (in the borders), Kelso, Ashkirk, Stobo and Kilbocho. In Fife from Middilfuddy, Kenyeoqhuy, Kincapail, Bonytoun, Laderny, Kinnaird and Kemback this gave him a salary of £294 plus beir and meill.
Professor William Wilkie, minister from 1752-1761, was a great scholar and a poet of some note.
Another distinguished minister was the Rev. A. Duncan, from 1803-1827. He was for 20 years principal clerk to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotlandand in 1824 was elected moderator.
Rev. A. Bisset, minister from 1876-1917, who spent the whole of his ministerial life in Ratho, was a personal friend of R. L. Stevenson and, in his college days, tutor to the aforesaid poet.
Dr. James Lumsden who was minister from 1917-1941 will be remembered as the pilot who guided the Church successfully through its greatest and most difficult restoration period. It was during his ministry that the church hall was built at a cost of £6,000. This was a gift to the Church from Mr. William Whitelaw of Hatton, who also figured prominently in giving monetary help when it was needed during the fabric restoration already mentioned.
The Misses Thomson of Ratho Hall gifted the ground on which the hall is built.
Rev. William M. Dempster, who was minister from 1941-43, was Secretary to the Huts and Canteen Committee of the Church of Scotland.
The body of a baby is said to be buried in the wall of what is now the vestry.
A Knight Templar’s gravestone is on display in the porch of the church. Where it originally was placed in the churchyard is not recorded.
Templars Grave Stone ©