DORIC

THE KIRK O THE HOLY RUDE

“Rude” or ance “Rood” is an aul-farrant wird at signifees the Cross o the Crucifixion.

The verra first kirk on es foun wis laid at the will o King Dauvid I in 1129, bit connacht, gyan up in a bleeze in 1406. Nae lang efter, the Lord Chamberlain o Scotland grantit a warrant tae hae a spleet new kirk biggit an the Nave, Sooth Aisle an Tooer were pitten thegither roon aboot 1414. Es pairt o the Kirk wi its roondit pillars, its Gothic airches an original reef o oak timmer noo stauns, efter mony an owerhaul, jist sic like as fin first biggit.

Cis the Kirk wisna big eneuch for the hale congregation, the Choir (or the bit tae the East) wis biggit atween 1507 an 1546 bi tradesmen near at haun wi the eident an inspir’t direction o John Coutts, Maister Mason.

In 1656, efter a fair argee-bargie atween the twa meenisters o the Kirk an their ain followin, the Toon Council forethocht an biggit a wa atween far the crossin is noo, makkin the twa chairges, the East Kirk an the Wast Kirk, baith wi their ain meenister. Es cairrit on till 1935, fin things got back tae fit they ees’t tae be, aa thegither in a bourach under the ae meenister.

Syne there cam the muckle restoration atween the eers 1936 - 1940.The wa that split the Kirk wis knockit doon, the twa cross shapit fleers made bigger, the groin’t reef o the crossin biggit, an the fleers o the Choir an Chancel gein a hystie up a thochtie, At the same time Vestries an a Session Hoose were biggit aneth the fleer o the Choir.

Noo atween 1965 an 1968 ere wis mair restoration wark cairrit oot. Es took in renewin the steen tracery o a puckle o the windaes, layin doon fresh steens for the eens that were some the waur o the weer, re-pyntin the hale o the steenwark and pitten in a spleet new heatin system. In 1970 the carillon o sax bells in the Tooer were recast an re-hung. They can noo be be rung wi a tit o the towie bi haun or ance mechanically. Atween 1987 an 1993 a muckle effort wis made on restoration o the hale Kirk costin aroon £1,250,000.

Mary Queen o Scots, worshipp’t in es Kirk an John Knox preach’t in’t. Mary’s wee bairnie, James VI o Scotland fa wis tae become James I o England in 1603, efter the daith o Queen Elizabeth, wis croon’t here on 29^th July 1567, makkin es Kirk the only Kirk in the hale o Britain, in reglar use for worship, apairt fae Westminster Abbey in London, far a Coronation his teen place.

NOO PLEASE DINNA TAK ES AWA WI YE – LEAVE ALEEN FOR ITHERS TAE READ

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