From the eastern part of the village of Pencaitland a road leads off towards Tranent, passing the edge of the Winton estate to the left and the Bogg’s Holdings and Winton Hill farm on the right the road continues on, under the cropped railway bridge on into New Winton.  Beyond New Winton is the peat-mire burn, the boundary that marks off Pencaitland Parish from the Parishes of Tranent and Ormiston.

The village of New Winton was built to the order and ideas of Lady Ruthven, who, when an old woman, would often drive over to watch the work progressing.

The houses were built of stone in three sides of a square with a large green in the centre.  In the latter part of the 20th century the fourth side of the square has been made by the erection of brick houses harled to the front and roofed like the rest of the houses in red tiles.

The main Pencaitland – Tranent road transects the old and new houses.

During the late part of the 1935 – 1945 war, a large bomb was dropped a few yards from the old stone houses.  The houses did not sustain any damage.

New Winton was built because of the old village of Winton situated in the policies of Winton Castle was taken down by Colonel Hamilton.  In this older village were settled at one time a few families of Horner’s (makers of horn spoons, baskets etc)  These Horner’s, known as “The Horner’s of Winton” were supposed to have come from Yethold or other Border towns.

One story from those days tells of the Horner’s character.  They ‘were selling horn spoons, baskets etc, in Penston Fair, long ago, one was selling his baskets very cheaply, below cost.  His neighbour said to him, ‘How can you sell your baskets so cheap, for I steal all my wands and can sell them cheaper than you any day!’ ‘Man,’ said the other, ‘ I can sell cheaper than you, for I steal my baskets already made.’

Originally the name appears to have been Ulfstruther signifying the Wolf’s Covert or hiding place.  Other forms of the name are Foulstruther and Woolstruther.

“de firmis duarum parcium Ville de Elphinstoun et Ulstruther, in warda ut supra” (Exchequer Rolls Volume IV) of also how in 1438 there is payment of £19, 13 shillings and 4d “de firmis tenandie de Elphinstoun et Wolstruther.”

One of the earliest references made to the farm, is in the middle of the 3rd Century.  Later in 1434 to be precise, a sum of £39:6:8 was paid conjointly by the lands of Elphinston and Wolfstar to Sir William Crichton who held the Seton Estates in ward.  Then, and long after, the Seton’s seem to have held superiority over Wolfstar.  There was however, small periods of time when other people held Wolfstar.  The Johnston’s of Elphinston being one, but such possession by others other than the Seton’s must be regarded in the light that at times, such as when Janet Hepburn, widow of that Lord Seton who fell at Flodden, purchased Foulstruther and gave it to her grandson, John Seton of Careston, it would appear to only have been owned in terms of “life-rent”, and later to have reverted to the head of the house.

The present farmhouse at Wolfstar is a fine specimen of an East Lothian farmhouse.

Just past the farmhouse is a row of farm cottages and immediately to the right across the road and onward towards the hill lies Pencaitland woods.

The farmland has chief crops of wheat, barley and oats, with some areas kept for the grazing of cattle.

Heading south from the crossroads of the main road heading towards Saltoun, you pass the well kept New Cemetery and a quarter mile further stood the ruins of the hamlet of Spilmersford.  Carboniferous limestone was long ago burned at Spilmersford.  The deep excavations there now filled with water as well as the tumbled down kilns lay testify to the very considerable lime trade which was carried on in the 19th century and the limestone well cited for its fossil shells.

The lime kilns were long wrought by the Symington’s who did a lucrative and extensive business.  At one time a corn mill, a wauk-mill or fulling-mill, and a large sawmill were all to be found at Spilmersford.  The sawmill was located where the Humbie Water (called the Birn Water at part) joins the river Tyne.

In Forrest’s map of Haddingtonshire (dated 1799) mention is made to an old farm  steading with land calle Meagrie as then existed.  The current farm at Spilmersford is called Spilmersford Mains.

Although the name Spilmersford has remained after the village has gone, the spelling changed greatly over the years passing since.

In 1630, a document laid down before the Presbytery of Haddington and Dunbar reveals that many places have kept their old names but many other have changed.

The lands of Easter Pencaitland comprehending the town of Easter Pencaitland, Mains of Pencaitland, Deanhead, Boiges, and Spilmenfurde, pertaining heritably to Robert Richardson of Pencaitland.

The lands and barony of Wester Pencaitland, including the lands of West Pencaitland, Malgra, Miltoun, Broomrig, Foulstruther, Kinsoheburn (now Kinchiburn) and Woodhall, pertaining heritably to John Sinclair of Stevenstane.

The lands of Nisbet, pertaining heritably to Sir James McGill Cranston Riddel Kerr, Bart.

The lands of Belsis, belonging to Andrew Belsis of that ilk.

The lands of Paistoune and Ackers thereof pertaining to George Cockburn of Ormiston, and lands of Templehall Easter and Wester comprehending the lands of Huntlaw and Dryburghlaw, with lands of Woodhead belonging to Sir Andrew Lauder Dick.

A public school house stood for a long time at Spilmersford kept by the Amos family.  During limeburning, much business was done within its walls.  And being on the main road north south, was a favourite storage and hiding place for contraband ankers of gin and brandy to avoid the Customs Officers in Edinburgh in the old days of smuggling.  Such smuggling and bootlegging was popular until the advent of free trade in 1848.  (It is related that during the Napoleonic wars the whole population in one district of Kent country gentleman, magistrates and clergy took a hand in the trade!  The established church showed a surprising liberality of sentiment in those times even interrupting sermons at Minster Church to enable the congregation to remove the brandy from the church vaults to neighbouring marshes on the rumoured approach of Customs.)

There is no evidence to suggest Pencaitland Church was ever used for such illegal activity but the Public House at Spilmersford appeared to have been the centre of such activity.

A few houses are still inhabited.  At the southern end there stands a bridge which crosses the Tyne and marks the boundary of Pencaitland with Saltoun.  The bridge was destroyed by terrible floods in 1948 which also caused much havoc in Haddington and other towns and villages that bound the river.  A temporary Baillie bridge was erected over the Tyne at Spilmersford and omnibuses were redirected to East Saltoun via Lempoch Wells and West Saltoun.

Almost opposite the church and standing a short distance to the north of the road is the building known as Pencaitland House.  The original old Pencaitland house, a 17th century building was destroyed by fire in 1875.

Only two wings of the house survived and stand about 100 metres of Pencaitland Bridge within the policies of Winton House.  The wrought iron gate which leads on to the high road was removed from Bloxham, England.  On the circled walling attached to the wings is a small lead casting representing a peacock in pride above a cap of maintenance which was the crest of the Manners family.

The back part of the original house was said to be as old as the church.  An early owner of Pencaitland House was the first James Hamilton (1660-1729) of Pencaitland, who had a charter of the lands on July 3rd, 1696, became a Judge in 1712 with the title of Lord Pencaitland.  His Great Grandson, William Hamilton Nisbet of Belhaven and Dirleton, married Mary, daughter of Lord Robert Manners, brother of the then Duke of Rutland.

From the above it appears to be established that the Lauders were connected with the Bass Rock.

In the year 1630, we find Pencaitland House in possession of Robert Richardson of Pencaitland, from whom it passed to Mary, niece of John Hamilton of Pencaitland and wife of Mr Nisbet of Dirleton.  This lady is frequently mentioned in the session records for her kindness and benevolence.

One housekeeper is affectionately remembered on a gravestone in the parish churchyard. “Erected in memory of MARY WHITSUNDAY housekeeper in Pencaitland House who died August 1836. She spent her whole life in faithful and affectionate service to Mrs. Hamilton Campbell of Pencaitland and her family by every member of which she is remembered with sincere gratitude.”

We have already said that for a long period before the Reformation the spiritual welfare of the parish was in the hands of the monks of Kelso. Until about 1309 and from 1343 to 1560 the parish was served by the monks of Dryburgh or by a substitute provided by them. There are, therefore comparatively few years in which other clergymen were in office, but the charter of 1343 refers to the parson of the time, who was Sir Gilbert DEL GLEN. (The title “Sir” would probably not imply knighthood. After the fashion of the Middle Ages it was given to a clerk in Holy Orders who was not a graduate. A graduate was called master, or doctor).

After the Reformation, there is a complete record of the incumbents. The charge was disjoined from the Presbytery of Dalkeith between 30th March 1583 and 11th October 1587. Keith MARISHALL was in the charge till 1588.

Ministers of Pencaitland since the Reformation (with dates of inductions) are as follows:

1567 Andrew BLACKHALL (Ormiston and Cranston being the charge.)
1576 John GRAY (Reader; that is not full pastor)
1580 James GIBSON
1598 Archibald OSWALD
1629 John OSWALD
1641 David CALDERWOOD
1653 Alexander VERNON (George SHIELL, M.A., Minister of Durisdeer was presented by Charles II, 16th Apr. and coll. 14th May 1669 his installation was cancelled July, following.)
1669 Robert DOUGLAS
1674 James COCKBURN
1685 William DENUNE
1705 Matthew SIMSON
1757 George ANDERSON
1793 David PYPER
1814 Angus MAKELLAR
1843 Maxwell NICHOLSON
1855 William Lyon RIACH
1872 James COULLIE
1925 George G. MORGAN, M.A.
1964 John M. WILSON, M.A.
1970 L. David LEVISON, M.A. B.D.
1982 C. DONALDSON
199? M. MALCOLM

You have toured round this old church and I hope you have enjoyed your visit; but let us not forget that it is a place for meditation and prayer. If you are able to visit the Church and walk around, then before you leave, please spare a moment for prayer, and to remember the Minister, office-bearers and congregation who worship here continuing the tradition of past centuries as well as sparing a thought for those who have formed the village through life that they may be still remembered in death.

Two small pan-tiled buildings stand, one at each entrance to the churchyard. It is interesting to know that they were erected as collecting, or offering houses so that the elders would not have to stand outside in inclement weather. The houses were originally built in or about 1759, for there is a record in the old treasurer’s books that refer to the payment, in 1760, for their building. In 1759 two stools for collecting were purchased. Are these the ones we still use today? Possibly they are, as they are very old, and there is no subsequent similar reference in the account books. If they have, indeed, lasted for 200 years the Session of the time can be considered to have made a good buy.

The problem of providing shelter, however, arose long before the offering houses were built. An entry in the Session records for 1723 states: “The Session considering the great hardships the elders are put to in collecting for the poor on the Lords Day without any covert from the weather in the winter season, they appointed a Box of Dealls to be made for a covert unto them untill they be better provided.” (sic.)

The East Offering House, however, was rebuilt to the original design in 1911 at a cost of 312.18.6d. This was necessary because the heritors, in removing a tree, unfortunately mistook their aim and felled it on top of the building. An argument ensued about who was responsible for the rebuilding The Session or Heritors, and the Session lost the day. Although built as offering houses there is no doubt that the buildings were also used as watch-houses against body snatchers when occasion demanded.

We have a valuable record of our local history in the headstones in the churchyard. It is most unfortunate that many years ago quite a few of the older ones were removed, but we must be grateful for those we have left. Although many are now worn and some unreadable, it is not too late to record the remaining inscriptions and this has recently been done by Mr. & Mrs. MURPHY.

On the south wall of the church there are some interesting inscriptions, one, near the old priest’s door dating from 1640. Below it is a skull set into the wall. Note also the inscription in which the letter ‘N’ is always reversed, and the one that says “These three died of a violent fea (fever) in the year 1736.” Epidemics were common in those days.

In 1864 a bulging of the South wall of the Church was said to be due to graves being dug deeper than the foundation of the wall.  Wherefore two more buttresses were built to secure the top foundation of the wall.  At the same time the tops of the walls were levelled to secure a new roof and crow-steps were substituted for skews though the skews remained and were restored.

One of the most interesting features is the number of stones bearing the tools of the trade followed by the deceased. There is a spoon, and quarry men or miner’s tools among others, and the finest is near the gate leading to the manse, the burial place of a tailor.

The old part of the churchyard must be very old, yet there is no tombstone visible with an earlier date than 1560.  This churchyard was one of the last places in Scotland where a ‘resurrection’ was attempted.  A party of watchers once caught two ‘body-snatchers’ in the very act and tied up one of them to the cross in Wester Pencaitland where he received very rough treatment from a very angry crowd among whom many were women.

In 1855 the churchyard was enlarged taking with it the old College, a building once suggested as being the old vicarage, the extra ground being given by Lady RUTHVEN free of charge.  The new part consisted of ground on which the college buildings stood and stretched as far as the old house called College Barns.

The tombstone of Lord RUTHVEN occupies a very prominent position in Pencaitland Churchyard.

Several extensions have been made on the Churchyard.  The last took place in 1902 when the Churchyard was found to be overcrowded.  A grant of land from the glebe having been refused by the Presbytery, Mr & Mrs H. Ogilvy offered to sell half an acre of ground which offer was accepted by the heritors and agreed to, by the Presbytery.  Not long after, in 1908, the new cemetery on Saltoun Road came into being the work being done by Mr. R. Baillie at the cost of £556, 4 shillings and 9 pence.

These are only a small number of the interesting stones to be seen, see the picture library.

There are few of these marks on the masonry.  The following may be seen.

On the inside of the west face of the tower: I. K
On the north east corner of the Saltoun Aisle: A Bench Mark
On the north west corner of the Saltoun Aisle: DUNC JOHN
On the buttress on the east wall of the Nave: AIRIX

The Communion table with the matching lectern and font; and the three Communion chairs are worthy of notice. The first three were gifted to our church when St. Margaret’s Church, Dumbiedykes, Edinburgh closed, and the chairs were generously donated by Mr. James MCGREGOR, in memory of the REIDS of Tyneholm.

The Saltoun Aisle dates from the late l7th Century. In looking round the church let us begin at the outside of the building at the west door in the tower.

In deference to the old superstition that says that it is bad luck to walk ‘widdershins’(counter-clockwise) round a church, we shall proceed in a clockwise direction.

On the first buttress is the chain to which the jougs were attached reminding us of the days when people were pilloried when caught breaking the law. When the collar was lost is not known, but an illustration of the complete instrument of punishment was printed in a book published in 1898. Near the jougs there is a round-headed window and it is obvious there was once a doorway here. There was a corresponding one, now also converted to a window, on the opposite side of the church. These doorways are probably older than the tower. It is probable that they were separate entrances for the men and women, who in some places in Scotland, as elsewhere, were segregated during worship. (The custom persisted in a few churches until the l9th Century.) If these were doorways used by the different sexes, the men’s door would have been on the south of the nave and the women’s on the north. It is not likely, however, that the custom existed here after the building of the tower when the new west doorway was constructed.

At this part of the church we can note the medieval foundations, which are found most of the way round the building. They disappear at the late 17th Century Saltoun Aisle, which we now reach, and which projects at right angles to the nave. The west side of the Saltoun Aisle contains a late Renaissance doorway, now blocked up. The initials over the pediment are those of Sir John SINCLAIR who was one of the family of Sinclair’s who owned the barony of Stevenson near Haddington.

Pencaitland was created a Burgh of Barony in 1695 in favour of Sir Robert Sinclair of STEVENSON. There is also an ogee-headed window, likewise built up. Note the much-weathered face on the northwest corbel. This was probably a piece of an earlier building incorporated in the new work either when it was built, or at a later date. At the top of the northeast corner of the east wall of the Saltoun Aisle is the date 1864 when repairs were presumably carried out.

Adjoining the Saltoun Aisle is the Winton Aisle, a venerable structure dating from the l3th century and which was originally roofed with stone slabs. The carved faces of devils, animals, men and angels on the corbels are worthy of notice. Two large windows have been filled in, although the doorway is obviously of earlier date than the stone used for blocking the windows. This is probably l7th century work, perhaps inserted when the aisle became a Laird’s Loft. It will be noticed that the original buttresses have been strengthened by later additions; the north wall of the Aisle is very much out of the perpendicular.

Proceeding to the east end of the nave, we can see that the east door has been clumsily knocked through the wall, obviously in post-reformation times. The south wall of the nave, where the early foundations again reappear, has five buttresses. Of these, the ones at each end are probably contemporary with the rest of the structure. The remaining ones were added probably as late as the 19th century, to prevent a bulging of the wall. At the east end of the south wall is a blocked-up priest’s door that led into the chancel – an indication that the nave, although of later date than the foundations, certainly pre-dates the Reformation. Features that can be observed from the south of the church are the three sundials, and the windows of the nave.

Returning to the tower we see that it bears the date 1631 and the initials of John OSWALD, the incumbent at that time. The tower houses a bell in the upper octagonal portion. The bell is dated 1656 and bears the legend “Pencaitland, fear ye the Lord.” The tower at one time served as a dovecot, and is lined with nesting boxes for the pigeons, a cause of much chagrin to the present Kirk Session, who are apt to forget the ancient law of sanctuary and wage a constant war, albeit largely a non-violent one, against the birds that still attempt to populate it, as in 1855, where the heritors ordered the pigeons to be shut out from the steeple of the Church as they were a great nuisance.  The date of the bell is a mystery in a way, because the following entry appears in the Session records, December 27th 1657 “William CAIRNES reported to the session that he and David RID—(?) had been at Edinburgh and that the Laird of WOODHEAD and they had spoken to a merchant for a bell of 10 stone weight who promised to send to London for one.” (Incidentally as the tower was built in 1631, does this mean that the Church had no bell for 26 years?)

When we go inside the church again the pulpit is worth a little attention. It is a fine example of 17th century work, although the base is modern, the carving is stylised. It is not certain whether a canopy (see Gifford church, among others) was provided, but there may well have been one that was removed later. The baptismal bracket, although not an outstanding piece of workmanship is interesting, as comparatively few of these now remain. Originally the minister baptised from the pulpit, and sprinkled the water, with varying degrees of accuracy, onto the baby held below. The bracket is still in use on occasions, although now, of course, the minister descends from the pulpit during the ceremony. The old oak pew fronts, and pews at the front of the transept known as the Saltoun Aisle, are l6th or l7th century and repay examination. Some old oak is also built into the front of the gallery, which dates from 1635.

The fine stained glass window in the Winton Aisle was erected by parishioners to the memory of Mary, Lady RUTHVEN (1789-1885) which replaced the outside stair which used to lead up to the Winton Gallery, abolished in 1886 when it was removed, the glass being amongst some of the finest in Scotland!  The one over the east door commemorates the Rev. James COULLIE, minister of the parish from 1872-1924.  The Rev. James COULLIE, B.D., was the last minister of Pencaitland to be presented to the Parish by means of patronage.  His induction in Pencaitland took place in 1872.  His ministry lasted until 1925.  He was deemed to be a first rate preacher and contributed articles to religious journals.  At his instance in 1877, the Western Offering House of the Church was rebuilt.  Between the years 1880 and 1886 he was instrumental in obtaining a better supply of water for the manse and many repairs to the manse and garden wall (taken from the Heritors Minutes.)  He resided in the village until his death and had a family of three, one son was in the ministry and his daughter was in the Mission Field.

Looking again at the Winton Aisle it is considered most probable that the present single arch separating the Aisle from the former chancel was at one time arcaded. Again the change was probably made at the time of the conversion to a Laird’s Loft. At least one authority considers that this change has hopelessly spoiled the Aisle. The West Window of the Winton Aisle is the original one.

There are records of burials in the church, notably under the gallery; in the Winton Aisle; and in the erstwhile chancel, where there is a memorial to the Rev. William DENUNE, minister (1685-1704) who was buried there and also a burial place of certain members of his family.  This stone is a lapidary record of an historical event in the history of Scottish Presbyterianism.  In the days of our Stuart rulers, Presbytery was set aside and Episcopacy established and it was not until the Stuart dynasty (1688) was overthrown and the House of Orange set up, that Presbytery was restored.  Then in 1695 an Act was passed which permitted Episcopal Ministers who refused to conform to Presbyterianism to keep their livings if they conformed to the Civil Order of things.  Rev. DENUNE conformed and in consequence, although an Episcopalian, he retained the living at Pencaitland.  He had been an Episcopalian Minister in Haddington before he was called to Pencaitland where he ministered for ten years.  He died very early in 1704 when he was in his 48th year.  The Church was declared vacant on 30th January 1704.

Other burials took place in the Church, an extract from the Church Session records under the date 26th May 1707, reads: ‘This day it was represented by my Lord Fountainhall that the burying place belonging to his predecessors and heritors of the lands within this Parish of Pencaitland, now possessed by the said Lord Fountainhall, was in the west end of this Church of Pencaitland below the loft and before the bell-steeple, and therefore craved the Session might give their concurrence to his having possession of the said burial place; which representation and desire being considered by the Session they did unanimously agree, as by their presents they do agree that so far as concerns them, the said Lord Fountainhall shall have free use and liberty of the said ground at the west end of the Church for him, his heirs and successors, as a burying place for the use of their families whenever they shall have occasion for the same in any time coming, and this, but prejudice allways (sic)  of the Session having full liberty and power to enclose the said piece of ground for one room to the Session to meet and hold Session in, when by the heritors and Session it shall be thought fit to be so enclosed and made use of for the ends foresaid: and it is hereby declared that the enclosing and using the foresaid piece of ground as one Session house, is but prejudice of his Lordship’s right to the same as a burying place and that these presents shall have the force of an Act of Session, and allows extracts hereof.’

The only other interments known to have taken place within the Church were those of Colonel HAMILTON of Pencaitland and of his wife (Uncle and Aunt of Lady Hamilton RUTHVEN) and of Mrs Hamilton CAMPBELL (Lady RUTHVEN’s mother) who succeeded her brother, Colonel HAMILTON in the estates of Pencaitland and Winton.  The marble slabs in the Winton Aisle commemorate them.