Dedicated to Researching Rosslyn Chapel, The Knights Templar and Scottish Freemasonry

We find the earliest references to a church in Haddington was in a charter dated 1139 by which David I granted the Burgh to Ada who married his son, Earl Henry and which mentions a church in the Burgh.

It seems a church on the present site of St Mary’s was given to the Black Canons [Dominicans] of St Andrews on condition that they supplied priests for the church.

The Grey Friars [Franciscans] came to Haddington soon after the death of their founder, Saint Francis of Assisi (c.1181 - 1226) and by 1243 had established a Friary on the banks of the river Tyne. The description of the church as the ‘Lamp o’ Lothian’ comes from the fact that the choir of the church had an ‘elegance and clearness of light’.

In 1356 the English attacked Haddington during what is known as the Burnt Candlemas and much of Haddington along with the Church and Friary were destroyed.

The foundation stone of the present St Mary’s Collegiate Church was laid in 1380 and was completed in 1486. During the ‘Rough Wooing’ of 1545, when Scotland was invaded by the Earl of Hereford at the behest of Henry VIII (1509 - 1547; born 1491) as a response to the Scots revocation of the Treaty of Greenwich (1543) that had established peace between the two nations and provided for the marriage between the infant Mary Queen of Scots (1542 - 1567; born 1542. died 1587) and the future Edward VI (1547 - 1553; born 1537). By 1548 the transepts and the nave were entirely ruinous. Like many other towns including Edinburgh, Leith and centres of population in the Lothians and Borders, Rosslyn Castle was severely damaged and extensive and lengthy repairs took many years to complete. Rosslyn Chapel escaped extensive damage by Hereford’s forces.

The Reformation came to Scotland in 1559 and it is likely that John Knox (c.1513 - 1572) was born in Haddington. At his instigation a barrier wall was built to separate the choir from the ruinous transepts and nave. The choir was henceforth used as a parish church for worship by the Reformed Church.

During 1810 some restoration took place which allowed for the roofs of the North and South aisles to be raised for three new galleries to be installed.

In 1960 the final phase of restoration commenced and the transepts and choir were restored to their former glory. By Herculean endeavours this major undertaking was completed by 1973. However, with all such buildings the works of repair and maintenance never ceases and the Friends of St Mary’s, together with the Lamp o’ Lothian Trust, are active today in arranging fund raising programmes.

This picture shows the nave with a small part of the north transept to the left and the south transept to the right. The tower can be seen right of centre.

The Collegiate Church was dedicated to St Mary the Virgin and as one of the largest and impressive of Scotland’s churches it was in competition with St Giles, Edinburgh, as the largest in the Lothians.