Saints in Scottish Place-Names
Funded by a Leverhulme Trust Project Grant
Kirknewton, parish
Grid reference
NT 114 669 (accurate position)
Six-figure easting & northing
311400 666900
Latitude
55.88711317120482
Longitude
-3.41666916008977
Nearby places
St Cuthbert's Church, East Calder, Kirknewton (1.94 miles)
East Calder, former parish, Kirknewton (1.94 miles)
Dalmahoy, settlement, Ratho (2.08 miles)
Mid Calder, parish, aka Calder Comitis (2.55 miles)
St Mungo's Well, Mid Calder (2.68 miles)
Object Classification
Parish (extant in 1975)
Notes
NGR for the old parish kirk, of which NMRS records Norman remains and a hogback stone. This was site of medieval parish kirk, abandoned when Kirknewton was united with East Calder in 1750/1751.
Relationships with other parishes
Relationships with other places
Parish details
Kirknewton
Parish TLA
KNN
County
Midlothian
Medieval diocese
St Andrews
Parish notes
Also known as Newton, the church, both in parsonage and vicarage, was erected into a prebend of the collegiate church of St Giles in 1472 and while definite proof is wanting, it appears to have remained as such, since in the valuation of the benefice given up at the Reformation there occur deductions and payments made to the prebendaries of St Giles, while the cure itself was served by a vicar pensioner (Cameron Apostolic Camera, 172; RSS iii no.2621; Ass. 118; Reg. of Pres. i, 92v, 151, 153). Cowan 1967, 123). In 12th century the region of Calder was divided into 2 manors - Calder-Clere - now Kirknewton KNN, and Calder Comitis or Earl’s Calder, which embraced all the modern parishes of Mid and West Calder MCR and WCA (Dixon, MLO PhD 1947, 242-52). This would appear to be wrong. BUT Cowan 1967, 25 under Calder-Clere (StA Linl) states that it is now known as East Calder, and was granted to Kelso by Ralph de Clere c.1170. Subsequent confirmations include one to the uses of the abbey 1188x1200, and a vicarage settlement c.1251 (Kelso Lib. nos. 83, 348, 430). But Barrow in his index to RRS ii indentifies this with Mid Calder MCR q.v. There is much confusion here: RRS i no.164 would identify Neutun with KNN, while Cowan 1967, 156-7 identifies this with Newton which was united with Woomet in 13th c. and was then known as parish of Woomet, and says it is not to be confused with Kirknewton. In Taxation lists churches of Neutun 15 m. Kaldor cler 30 m. Kaldor com[itis] 40 m. are listed together (St A. Lib. 29). Atlas 1996 p.349 says ‘Newton now Kirknewton’, unappropriated; while ‘Woolmet now Newton’ is appropriated. This means that DERW agrees with Cowan rather than Barrow. In fact Barrow seems to be wrong here (see also Newton NTN MLO).
Names
2 head-names linked to this place ?Kirknewton
Head name
Kirknewton
Place
Kirknewton, parish
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Current
Is this a current OS form? ?
No
Is this the original referent of the place?
Maybe
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
Newton
Head name
Newton
Place
Kirknewton, parish
Certainty that this name applies to this place
Certain
The status of this name is
Obsolete
Is this a current OS form? ?
No
Is this the original referent of the place?
No
Is the association of this name to this object hypothetical?
No
Neutun 1245, St A. Lib.
Historic formNeutun Head nameNewton PlaceKirknewton, parish Certainty that this name applies to this placeProbable SourceSt A. Lib., 29 Date of citation1245 x 1255 Feature named in sourceecclesia Before nameKaldor cler After nameKeldeleth |
Source code
St A. Lib.
Source title
Liber Cartarum Prioratus Sancti Andree in Scotia
Series
Bannatyne Club
Year
1841