Westerkirk, parish

Grid reference

NY 312 903 (accurate position)

Six-figure easting & northing

331200 590300

Latitude

55.202113568334426

Longitude

-3.081096244336045

Nearby places

Staplegorton, former parish, Langholm (2.89 miles)

Martin Gill, Westerkirk (3.06 miles)

Martin Hill, Westerkirk (3.22 miles)

Ewes, aka Netherkirk of Ewes, parish (3.55 miles)

St Cuthbert's Church, Ewes (3.55 miles)

Object Classification

Parish (extant in 1975)

Is linear feature?

No

Relationships with other parishes

Contains Eskdalemuir, modern parish (formerly)

Relationships with other places

Contains Martin Gill, Westerkirk

Contains Martin Hill, Westerkirk

Contains St Martin's Height, Westerkirk/Ewes

Parish details

Westerkirk formerly including Eskdalemuir ESK

Parish TLA

WES

County

Dumfriesshire

Medieval diocese

Glasgow

Parish notes

Cowan gives deanery as Eskdale/ Annandale (1967); New Atlas gives deanery as Esk (sic) (1996, 351). Granted to Melrose by John de Graham lord of Westerkirk, and confirmed to the abbey by Robert I in 1321, this church with all its teinds was granted to the uses of the abbey in that same year by the chapter of Glasgow Cathedral (Melr. Lib. nos. 383-89; also Glasg. Reg. no. 268 [latter ref. not in Cowan]). The abbey already possessed teinds in Eskdalemuir [which formed part of Westerkirk, according to Cowan 1967, 62], granted them by Robert Avenel, and confirmed to them by Herbert bp. of Glasgow (1147-64), while in 1305 an agreement over the chapel of Watcarrick took place between the abbey and the parson of Westerkirk (Melr. Lib. nos. 5, 352). This grant now consolidated these interests, it being conceded in a further confirmation by John bp. of Glasgow that the church might be served by a chaplain. See Cowan 1967, 208. There was a chapel dedicated to St Martin at Boykin in WES: in 1391 Adam de Glendonyng amortised certain lands in the barony of Hawick for the establishment of this chapel. Bruce Armstrong, Liddesdale 99, quoted in MacKinlay, ACDS-NS, 316. Neither WES nor Eskdalemuir ESK mentioned in Shennan 1892. Note: ‘decimas de’ Eschedale 1147 x 1164 Melr. Lib. no.5 [granted to Melrose by Robert Avenel. The monks hold ‘eandem terram’ from Robert; grant made with permission of the cleric (clericus) to whose parish (parrochia) that place (i.e. Eskdale) belongs]. WESTERKIRK rector ecclesie de Wathstirkir 1305 Melr. Lib. i no. 352 [despite what Cowan says (1967, 208) this is an agreement between Melrose abbey and the rector of Wathstirkir anent the teinds of Eskedal’ - Watcarrick (Wathkerrok) is mentioned, but doesn’t seem to be a chapel - but I need to have a closer look at this] ecclesia de Watstirker 1321 Glasg. Reg. no. 268.