Girish Mahajan (Editor)

Yester Parish Church

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Denomination
  
Church of Scotland

Presbytery
  
Lothian

Churchmanship
  
Reformed

Yester Parish Church

Website
  
Yester, Bolton and Saltoun Church website

Parishes
  
Gifford, East Saltoun and West Saltoun

Similar
  
Bolton Parish Church - E, Humbie Parish Church, Church of Scotland, Yester Castle, Yester House

Yester Parish Church is a church of the Church of Scotland in the village of Gifford, East Lothian, Scotland. The village forms part of Yester, Bolton and Saltoun parish, and is a linked charge with Humbie Parish Church.

Contents

History and design

Several church buildings have been used throughout the history of the parish. The earliest recorded presence of a church in the area (St Bathan's Chapel) is in 1241, the ruins of which lie in the woods beside Yester House, to the south-west of the village centre. A church also once stood at Duncanlaw, a former settlement to the south-east of the main village.

The present building dates to 1708, and stands towards the north of the village, at the main road junction, just behind the village war memorial.

Notable Graves

  • Lord John Hay, Admiral of the Fleet (1827-1916) memorial only
  • Lord William Hay, 10th Marquess of Tweeddale
  • Lord David George Montagu Hay, 12th Marquess of Tweedale
  • John Witherspoon

    Rev John Witherspoon was born in Gifford manse in 1723, the son of Rev James Alexander Witherspoon, the local minister. John Witherspoon emigrated and went on to be a major leader of the Presbyterian Church in America. He was the only clergyman to sign the United States Declaration of Independence.

    References

    Yester Parish Church Wikipedia