St. Ninians
Encyclopedia
St. Ninians is a long-standing settlement which is now a district of the city of Stirling
in central Scotland
. It is located approximately one mile south of the city centre.
It was originally known as Eccles (ie. 'church'), and may have been a Christian site from an unusually early date (possibly 5th or 6th century). Later called 'St. Ringan's' (a variant of St Ninian's). This church was the administrative centre for churches across the strath
of the River Forth
.
In the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Rising
, the retreating army of Bonnie Prince Charlie blew up the church of St. Ninians where they had been storing munitions; only the tower survived and can be seen to this day.
A few years after the Church was rebuilt it became the scene of another drama. The local landowner 'presented' a new minister, Mr Thomson of Gargunnock. He was not chosen by the heads of families and a dispute arose. After years of wrangling the Presbytery was forced to appoint him. The Moderator of Presbytery addressed these words to him
He did not give up and so was inducted.
Of the twenty-one elders of the parish, one remained loyal to the old Church, the others left its walls. They along with the majority of the people formed a 'Relief Church.'
In the disruption of 1843 a Free Church of Scotland
was formed. This congregation eventually returned to the Church of Scotland
and became known as St George's. In 1969 it was dissolved and the building eventually demolished to make way for housing. The Relief congregation originally at the 'toll' continues today as St Ninianshttp://www.ufcos.org.uk/stirling United Free Church of Scotland
.
In recent years, the old steeple
, which was built in 1734 but houses a 17th century bell, became structurally unsafe but has been restored, with funding from St. Ninians Old Parish Church, local community donations, and Historic Scotland
. As it stands, this tower appears to be a late 17th to early 18th century structure, but is likely to be of much earlier origin (possibly 11th-12th century).
During the 19th century, St. Ninians' main industry was nail-making, with the main works located at the corner of Weaver Row and Main Street (known locally as Nailworks Corner). This site is now the location of a Lidl
supermarket.
In the early 20th century, traffic was diverted away from the Main Street into Borestone Crescent and the Borestone Roundabout, which carries the main traffic from Glasgow
, Edinburgh
and Falkirk
into Stirling. In the 1960s, most of this traffic was again diverted on to the Inner Relief Road from an enlarged Borestone Roundabout.
The area is served by a strip of shops and take-aways and other amenities next to the busy Borestone Roundabout, known locally as "the toll". Housing in the area is predominantly council or ex-council, with a mixture of terraced houses and flats.
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
in central Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located approximately one mile south of the city centre.
It was originally known as Eccles (ie. 'church'), and may have been a Christian site from an unusually early date (possibly 5th or 6th century). Later called 'St. Ringan's' (a variant of St Ninian's). This church was the administrative centre for churches across the strath
Strath
A strath is a large valley, typically a river valley that is wide and shallow .An anglicisation of the Gaelic word srath, it is one of many that have been absorbed into common use in the English language...
of the River Forth
River Forth
The River Forth , long, is the major river draining the eastern part of the central belt of Scotland.The Forth rises in Loch Ard in the Trossachs, a mountainous area some west of Stirling...
.
In the aftermath of the 1745 Jacobite Rising
Jacobite rising
The Jacobite Risings were a series of uprisings, rebellions, and wars in Great Britain and Ireland occurring between 1688 and 1746. The uprisings were aimed at returning James VII of Scotland and II of England, and later his descendants of the House of Stuart, to the throne after he was deposed by...
, the retreating army of Bonnie Prince Charlie blew up the church of St. Ninians where they had been storing munitions; only the tower survived and can be seen to this day.
A few years after the Church was rebuilt it became the scene of another drama. The local landowner 'presented' a new minister, Mr Thomson of Gargunnock. He was not chosen by the heads of families and a dispute arose. After years of wrangling the Presbytery was forced to appoint him. The Moderator of Presbytery addressed these words to him
- "Sir, we are met here this day, by a former appointment of Presbytery, in obedience to the same sentence of the General Assembly, to admit you minister of St. Ninians- a sentence pronounced by the highest horn of ecclesiastical authority or power. That Assembly have assumed to themselves higher power than the Parliament-by some profanely styled omnipotent-that wise, that august body, never enacting any laws without consent of the people. There has been a formidable opposition made against you by six hundred heads of families, sixty heritors, and all the elders of the parish, I believe, except one. This opposition has continued for seven years by your own obstinacy, and if you should this day be admitted, you can have no pastoral relation to the souls of the parish; you will never be regarded as the shepherd to go before the sheep-they know you not, and they will never follow you; and, let me assure you, dear sir, if you persist in your obstinacy, you will do more harm in this parish than you could have done good in Gargunnock though you had been to live there for a hundred years; and you will draw misery and contempt upon yourself-you will be despised-you will be hated-you will be insulted and maltreated. One of the most eloquent and learned ministers of this Church told me lately that he would go twenty miles to see you deposed; and I do assure you, sir, that I, and twenty thousand more friends to our Church, would do the same. You maintained a good character and reputation till your unhappy And obstinate adherence to this presentation. Now, bending under the weight of years and infirmities of old age, what happiness can you propose to yourself in this mad, this desperate attempt of yours, without the concurrence of the people, and without the least prospect of usefulness in the parish. Your admission into it, therefore, can only be regarded as a sinecure, and you yourself as Stipend-Lifter of St. Ninians. Now, sir, I conjure you, by the mercies of God, give up this presentation. I conjure you, for the sake of the great number of souls in St. Ninians, and by that peace of mind which you would wish in a dying hour, and that awful and impartial account which in a little you must give to God of your own soul, and of the souls of this parish, at the tribunal of our Lord Jesus Christ, give it up."
He did not give up and so was inducted.
Of the twenty-one elders of the parish, one remained loyal to the old Church, the others left its walls. They along with the majority of the people formed a 'Relief Church.'
In the disruption of 1843 a Free Church of Scotland
Free Church of Scotland (1843-1900)
The Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish denomination which was formed in 1843 by a large withdrawal from the established Church of Scotland in a schism known as the "Disruption of 1843"...
was formed. This congregation eventually returned to the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
and became known as St George's. In 1969 it was dissolved and the building eventually demolished to make way for housing. The Relief congregation originally at the 'toll' continues today as St Ninianshttp://www.ufcos.org.uk/stirling United Free Church of Scotland
United Free Church of Scotland
The United Free Church of Scotland is a Scottish Presbyterian denomination formed in 1900 by the union of the United Presbyterian Church of Scotland and the Free Church of Scotland...
.
In recent years, the old steeple
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
, which was built in 1734 but houses a 17th century bell, became structurally unsafe but has been restored, with funding from St. Ninians Old Parish Church, local community donations, and Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
. As it stands, this tower appears to be a late 17th to early 18th century structure, but is likely to be of much earlier origin (possibly 11th-12th century).
During the 19th century, St. Ninians' main industry was nail-making, with the main works located at the corner of Weaver Row and Main Street (known locally as Nailworks Corner). This site is now the location of a Lidl
Lidl
Lidl is a discount supermarket chain based in Germany that operates over 7,200 stores across Europe. The company's full name is Lidl Stiftung & Co. KG...
supermarket.
In the early 20th century, traffic was diverted away from the Main Street into Borestone Crescent and the Borestone Roundabout, which carries the main traffic from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
and Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
into Stirling. In the 1960s, most of this traffic was again diverted on to the Inner Relief Road from an enlarged Borestone Roundabout.
The area is served by a strip of shops and take-aways and other amenities next to the busy Borestone Roundabout, known locally as "the toll". Housing in the area is predominantly council or ex-council, with a mixture of terraced houses and flats.