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The
Patronage Act of 1712, which transferred the right of electing ministers from congregations to the patron, caused a great deal of trouble in the parish. There were at least two forced settlements, the better known that of Rev. Lawrence Wells. His settlement was so unpopular that a number left the
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In 1979 the
Reverend Sheila Spense became this church's minister. She had been one of the six women who had published an open letter to the Church of Scotland to request that women could be ministers. That right was allowed the following year in 1968. The Rev Spence retired in 2000 but she continued
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was reputed to be a giant who lived in the area and terrorised travellers on the
Glasgow/Edinburgh road. A reward was offered for his capture - dead or alive - which was claimed by William Muirhead who lay in wait for Bertram when the latter came to his favourite drinking place, a spring of water on
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is a historical natural spring well of significant interest and sits on holy ground at the foot of Kirk O' Shott's Parish Church. The well dates back to the 14th century and derives from the church's former past when it was once a
Catholic place of worship as St. Catherines Chapel which has origins
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After the
Reformation of 1560, Kirk oāShotts became a Protestant place of worship. The old church of St Catherine's must have suffered many changes and required frequent changes since its foundation, but of these there is no account before 1640. In that year the Presbytery met at Shotts and ordered
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The present church building was opened on 26 October 1821, at a cost of Ā£2,270. Its spire was struck by lightning and completely destroyed on 23 July 1876. The only material link with the old church is the old sandstone baptismal font. It was lost for a number of years, but subsequently found in a
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Many have wondered what connection St. Catherine could possibly have with the area. In 1457 the parish of Shotts was detached from
Bothwell barony and the eastern half was given to Lord Hamilton, who re-founded and probably rededicated the chapel, also founding a hospital at the same place for the
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The old church was a long, narrow building about 70 feet long, 25 feet wide, with 16 feet at the east end, designated the āquireā. The pulpit and desk stood on the south side, fronting the pulpit was the common loft, in the east end was
Murdoston's loft, and at the west end was Gartness loft. In
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in 1638 to the
Revolution in 1688, the struggle between Presbyterianism and the Episcopacy went on until it reached its height in the killing times - 1684-1685. Shotts and the adjoining parishes of Monkland and Cambusnethan were strong supporters of the Covenant, and many conventicles were held
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The graveyard of the Church is allegedly haunted. A driver reported having hit a mysterious grey dressed man or woman on the road which runs aside the church (the B7066). However, when the driver got out to check on the injured person they had vanished into the mist they appeared from.
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The site of the old church is marked by the headstone erected to Samuel Meuros, who was session clerk and school master from 1794 to 1837. He was also
Precentor, and it was his wish to be buried where his old desk had stood. On the back of the stone is the following inscription:
139:āHere stood the Precentorās desk in the Kirk of Bertram Shotts which was rebuilt and extended in 1642ā . This stone and the burial ground of the Inglis's of Murdoston, which was inside the old church, give a clear idea of the site.
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reception of the poor, which he endowed with some lands from
Kinneal. His foundation was confirmed by a Bull of Pope Sixtus IV, on 30 April 1476 ā St. Catherine's Feast Day. This may be the reason for the name.
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in the Pentlands in 1666. In 1678, the Duke of Monmouth, with an army of 10,000 men, camped for ten days at Muirhead, about three miles east of Kirk oāShotts. They were on their way by the old bridle road, to
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1817, the old church having become unsafe and having a seating capacity for only 409 worshippers, it was decided that a larger church with a seating capacity for approximately 1,200 should be built.
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within their bounds. The principal place for field preachings in the parish of Shotts was on a large moss between Benhar and Starryshaw. It was here at a place once known as the "Deer Slunk" that
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account of those days, 'Many were so choked and taken by the heart in hearing the word they have been made to fall over... who afterwards proved most solid and useful Christians.'
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death, 26 July 1681. John Kidd also preached here to a large, armed conventicle. Nearby is the large whinstone boulder which has been known since the time of the martyred
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church and joined the seceders who in time built a church at Shottsburn. It was not until 1975 that this group returned to the fold by returning to Kirk oā Shotts.
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and is often illuminated at night. The graveyard contains stones from as early as 1624. The nearby Fortissat area contains the remains of the Fortissat Stone, a
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the hillside above Shottsburn. He hamstrung him and, as the giant lay laughing up at him, he cut off his head with the words, āWill ye laugh-up yet?ā
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From 1841, the population of the parish rapidly increased and, with this increase, there was a demand for more churches. The following were opened:
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It was on Bertram's plot of land that St. Catherine's Chapel was built in 1450. It was dedicated to āthe blessed Virgin and Catherine of Siennaā.
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where they defeated the Covenanters. It is reckoned that 160 Shotts men took part in the battle; 13 were killed and 33 taken prisoner.
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pigsty, where it was being used as a feeding trough. After being cleaned and rededicated, it is still used for baptisms today.
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as a locum until 2004. The manse where she lived was sold as it was agreed that the church would share the next minister.
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that the church be repaired and partly rebuilt, but it was more than eight years before the work was completed.
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Kirk O' Shotts, or the more affectionate title "The M8 Church" for its location on a hillock alongside the busy
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The church is still operational and is a category B listed building. It can be seen from the nearby
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There is a Covenanter's stone in the kirk yard to a certain William Smith, who fought at
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Cook Faith, Grace in Winter: Rutherford in Verse Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh 1989
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On Monday 21 June 1630, the celebrated Revival took place. It had been arranged that
367:"Kirk of Shotts, St Catherine's Chapel, Kirk Well and Martyr's Grave | Canmore"
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gathering place. Shotts itself contains several Covenanter monuments as does nearby
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and the hamlets in between. The last dedicated minister for this church was Rev.
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and Shotts formed one parish which stretched from the Clyde to
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place of worship under the name Saint Catherine's Chapel.
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Video footage of the Fortissat or Covenanters' Stone
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556:Video footage of the 'Tale of Bertram of Shotts'
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393:"Text Articles Ā» Reformation Scotland"
566:Video footage of the Kirk o'Shotts Church
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351:: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (
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268:St. Catherine's Well or "Kate's Well"
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425:from the original on 16 April 2014
399:from the original on 16 April 2014
373:from the original on 16 April 2014
333:from the original on 16 April 2014
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521:from the original on 9 April 2019
468:www.salsburghheritagegroup.co.uk
197:The Fortissat Covenanter's Stone
539:Urban Glasgow | Kirk O' Shott's
22:The Kirk o'Shotts or Shottskirk
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551:Kirk O' Shott's Parish Church
210:preached on the Sunday after
561:Video footage of Kate's Well
243:The last (unshared) minister
591:Listed churches in Scotland
515:"Kirk O' Shotts (Church) -"
118:Kate or St Catherine's Well
31:Kirk O'Shotts Parish Church
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277:from Catherine of Sienna.
162:Harthill and Benhar (1877)
29:, more commonly known as
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464:"Kirk O' Shotts Manse"
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274:Kate's Well
189:Covenanters
78:M8 motorway
63:M8 motorway
580:Categories
449:085151555X
313:References
286:55Ā°50ā²45ā³N
67:Covenanter
27:Shottskirk
289:3Ā°51ā²00ā³W
86:Edinburgh
35:Salsburgh
519:Archived
493:BBC News
429:15 April
423:Archived
403:15 April
397:Archived
377:15 April
371:Archived
347:cite web
337:15 April
331:Archived
97:Bothwell
90:Catholic
80:between
71:Harthill
43:Scotland
82:Glasgow
499:7 June
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525:3 May
527:2022
501:2023
475:2023
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