Lesmahagow

"putting Lesmahagow on the Map !"

A Brief History of Lesmahagow Priory & St. Mary's Church.

The earliest documented evidence of Lesmahagow's history is contained in the"Liber de Calchou"or"Book of Kelso".It is a collection of Latin manuscripts containing unique historical references to the ancient churches and abbeys of Scotland.

The book, or register, contains a charter dated 1144, whereby the church at Lesmahagow was bestowed on the Monastery of Kelso by King David 1, also"the whole lands of Lesmahagu, with the men and all manner of pertinents, to be held, the said church, as a Cell of Kelcho(showing that the church was already in existence prior to 1144),this the King did, of reverence to God and St. Machute".St. Machute, or St Malo as he was known in France, was the patron saint of Lesmahagow until the coming of the 16^thcentury Reformation.

The Priory was built by the monks of Kelso Abbey in a sheltered valley on the western bank of the River Nethan. The area was ideally suited, being fertile for agricultural purposes and the river at that time was well stocked with fish and oysters. It is believed that an earlier 6^lhCentury Culdee Church had existed in the same site. This church is thought to have been a wooden structure built by the followers of the Irish Missionary St. Brendan. One of his followers was later to be known as St. Machute. This saint died in 533 A.D. and was buried in St. Malo. It is alleged however, that a relict of him, one of his bones was returned to Lesmahagow, where in the early 1500's it was encased in silver by Mosman, silversmith's in Edinburgh. It is assumed that the relict of St. Machute was destroyed by the zealots of the Reformation.

The 12^thCentury Priory Church, styled St. Mary's was attacked and burned to a shell, by John of Eltham, brother of Edward III in 1336. St. Mary's Church, having the right to offer sanctuary, was the ideal retreat for many who were caught up in the hostilities of the time between Scotland and England. It is alleged that when John arrived in Lesmahagow, he called on the populace to meet in the church, where he wished to speak with them. Word spread of his request and all gathered in the church to hear him. John, suspecting all in the area to be supporters of Robert the Bruce, ordered all the doors of the church to be securely locked from the outside. Once this was done, he ordered his men to throw flam-buoys through the small narrow slits that served as windows into the church. It is believed a considerable number of people were horrifically burned to death.

In reducing the church to ashes, John ensured that no longer would St. Mary's of Lesmahagow be a hiding place for those who followed the Bruce.

On leaving Lesmahagow, he journeyed to Perth. By the time he had arrived, Edward III, who was at Newcastle, had heard of the incident at Lesmahagow. So incensed was he, that he rode to Perth, to seek explanation from his brother. They met in Perth Cathedral. On being confronted by the King, John showed no sign of remorse for what he had done. The King drew his dagger, to which John responded by saying "I have sanctuary here". The King in reply said "I give you the same sanctuary, as you gave to the people of Lesmahagow", and plunged his dagger into his brother's heart.

As John of Eltham died some time after the burning of the St. Mary's, either historians are in conflict, or his wounds were not fatal, but precipitated a long illness. Many people had taken refuge in the church, proof of which, was the discovery of numerous skeletons and signs of burning, when the foundations were excavated in 1803 for the building of the present Old Parish Church. An eye witness account described the pile of bones, when ready for burial, being "of considerable width and height".

The Priory was again partially destroyed by fire at the Reformation. The stone of the outer buildings being carted off and recycled for the making of dykes, wall and houses in the area. St. Mary's church was stripped of the religious ornamentation associated with the old Roman Church, but the fabric of the building remained more or less intact.

The new reformed church was administered by the "Heritors" (ie. those who had heritable property.) also known as the landed gentry of the parish. They elected the minister and had complete control over the day to day running of the church and were the Judge, Jury and Executioner of the morals and misdemeanours, except criminal, of the congregation. This system of church government continued to the mid - 19^thcentury.

Extracted from: A Short History of Lesmahagow by Robert S. McLeish.

From Draft Copy 2009.