Newbattle | |
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![]() The manse and kirk of Newbattle | |
Location within Midlothian | |
Population | 560 (mid-2020 est.) [1] |
OS grid reference | NT332642 |
Council area | |
Lieutenancy area | |
Country | Scotland |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Post town | DALKEITH |
Postcode district | EH22 3 |
Dialling code | 0131 |
Police | Scotland |
Fire | Scottish |
Ambulance | Scottish |
UK Parliament | |
Scottish Parliament | |
Newbattle (from Old Scots Neubothle, "new building") [2] is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland. The village lies south of Dalkeith, about seven miles from Edinburgh. It is notable for containing Newbattle Abbey, a stately home built on the site of a 12th-century Cistercian monastery.
The civil parish, which also includes Newtongrange, had a population of 21,534 in 2011. [3]
Newbattle Abbey was founded in 1140 by monks from Melrose Abbey. The patron was King David I of Scotland (with his son Henry). Its church was dedicated in 1234. The abbey was burned by English royal forces in 1385 and once more in 1544. It became a secular lordship for the last commendator, Mark Kerr (Ker) in 1587.
After the Reformation most of the remains of the abbey church were removed and used to build a new church, the proverbial "stone's throw away", so still within the abbey grounds. What resulted was a new independent Newbattle Church that would see traumatic times, as Scotland, in particular, entered the Period of Unsettlement.
Little is known about the Newbattle church built after the Reformation. It was situated somewhere on the other side of Newbattle Road from the present church. While it has always been Protestant, the form of church government has been at different times Presbyterian and Episcopalian. The first permanent minister was Adam Foulis who was translated from Heriot to Newbattle in 1570. He was followed by Robert Wilson in 1573, John Heries in 1583, Alex Ambrose in 1608 and then John Aird in 1615. During John Aird's incumbency, there were between 800 and 900 Communicants within the Parish. The Newbattle Communion Sacrament became such an occasion that it was held in the Churchyard Cemetery. Here a tent was erected and the Welsh Family Table monument was used to dispense not only the Communion but also refreshments after the Service.
Such was the popularity of the Newbattle Communion Sacrament that adjoining Parishes closed on such Sundays and the occasion became known as a Holy Fair. The principle was adopted by local Parishes, resulting in such events as the Dalkeith Fair. The Newbattle Fair became known as the Newbattle Sacrament, a Day of Freedom. The Rev Aird did many things for the Parish, such as implementing Knox's ideal for a Settled School in every Parish, the first Parish School being built in the area close to the site of the present church.
Robert Leighton , who was minister from 1641 to 1653 before becoming Principal of the University of Edinburgh, is still remembered today as a scholar and preacher.
In 1720, the building was in such a poor state of repair that the minister, the Rev. Charles Campbell, thought it would possibly fall down. In September 1725, the Marquess of Lothian presented plans for a new church to Dalkeith Presbytery and the heritors (landowners). Edinburgh architect Mr Alexander McGill had drawn up these plans, and, although the project was approved, work did not commence on the new building, and on a clean site, until 1727. The design included making use of material from the old church, where suitable, in the construction. In fact a considerable amount of stonework was transferred, to such an extent that all that remained of the old Church was the crypt, which remained as the burial chamber for the Kerr/Lothian family. The completion year is generally accepted as 1729.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the floor of a church consisted of earth, and, while the laird would erect a loft or seat, the majority of the congregation sat on stools placed upon the earthen floor. Although, in 1739, lofts were erected in the north and south aisles of Newbattle church, it was not until 1750 that seats were purchased and the passageways paved.
The south wall of the church has three traditional style stained glass windows. This wall also supported a gallery and the organ until 1937, when the gallery was removed and the organ re-sited. The large central circular window, depicting the Creation, was designed by Catherine Hamilton, the mother of the Rev. J. Arnott Hamilton, a minister at Newbattle from 1922 to 1952. The window to the left of the circular window, is a memorial to those of the parish who served during World War II. The third window commemorates that Newbattle was the Garrison Church for the Forces personnel, in particular the Royal Army Medical Corps, stationed at the Abbey and the adjoining Camp. An unofficial record of those who gave of their service during the period of the Second World war and beyond, remain written on the walls just inside the door beside the organ. Some stationed here, some recovering from wounds and/or traumas, some from local voluntary organisations.
Newbattle Parish Church remains a parish church of the Church of Scotland. In 2003, the boundaries of the eccleiastical parish (covering Newbattle, Mayfield, and Easthouses) were extended to include the village of Newtongrange, effectively restoring the original parish borders of several centuries ago. The 18th-century Newbattle church building, together with those within the communities of Newtongrange, Mayfield, and Easthouses, are maintained as centres of worship by the post-2003 Newbattle Parish Church of Scotland. The current minister is the Reverend Sean Swindells.
Midlothian is a historic county, registration county, lieutenancy area and one of 32 council areas of Scotland used for local government. Midlothian lies in the east-central Lowlands, bordering the City of Edinburgh council area, East Lothian and the Scottish Borders.
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540. The settlement of Dalkeith grew southwestwards from its 12th-century castle . Dalkeith has a population of 12,342 people according to the 2011 census.
The River Esk, also called the Lothian Esk, is a river that flows through Midlothian and East Lothian, Scotland.
Easthouses Lily Miners Welfare Football Club are a Scottish football club, based in the Midlothian town of Easthouses. The team currently plays in the East of Scotland League Second Division, having moved from the junior leagues in 2018. The club was formed in 1950, following the establishment of the Easthouses Colliery earlier in the 20th century. Home matches are played at Newbattle Complex.
Lasswade is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland, on the River North Esk, nine miles south of Edinburgh city centre, contiguous with Bonnyrigg and between Dalkeith to the east and Loanhead to the west. Melville Castle lies to the north east. The Gaelic form is Leas Bhaid, meaning the "clump at the fort."
Mayfield is a community in Midlothian, Scotland, located just south of Dalkeith near Edinburgh between the A68 and the A7 south. It had an estimated population of 13,690 in 2020.
Newtongrange is a former mining village in Midlothian, Scotland. Known in local dialect as Nitten, or Nitten by the Bing , it became Scotland's largest mining village in the 1890s, with the sinking of the Lady Victoria Colliery and a shaft over 1600 feet deep. This closed in 1981 but today houses the National Mining Museum, an Anchor Point of ERIH - The European Route of Industrial Heritage.
Rosewell is a former mining village in Midlothian, Scotland, east of Roslin and south-west of Bonnyrigg. The village is in the civil parish of Lasswade and was previously a separate ecclesiastical parish, but has its own Community Council, namely Rosewell and District.
Newbattle High School(formerly Newbattle Community High School) is a non-denominational secondary state school located in Easthouses, Midlothian, Scotland within Newbattle Community Campus, which opened to the public on 26 May 2018. It is run by Midlothian Council and has approximately 900 pupils on roll in six-year groups from ages 11 up to 18, and serves the settlements of Easthouses, Mayfield, Gorebridge and Newtongrange plus the small villages of North Middleton, Temple and Borthwick and their surrounding areas. As of 2018 the school has been designated a Digital Centre for Excellence.
Easthouses is a settlement in Midlothian, Scotland, lying to the east of Newtongrange and south of Dalkeith. It forms the northern extension of the settlement of Mayfield, with which it is closely associated; the two communities have a combined population of around 7,900.
Borthwick is a hamlet, parish and stream in Midlothian, Scotland. The parish includes the 15th century Borthwick Castle, which is to the east of the village and the villages of Gorebridge and North Middleton. Nearby is Newtongrange in the parish of Newbattle.
Temple is a village and civil parish in Midlothian, Scotland. Situated to the south of Edinburgh, the village lies on the east bank of the river South Esk.
St David's Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Dalkeith, Midlothian. It was founded in 1854 by Cecil Chetwynd Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian. It was designed by Joseph Hansom and is a category A listed building.
Cockpen is a parish in Midlothian, Scotland, containing at its north-west corner the town of Bonnyrigg, which lies two miles (3.2 km) south-west of Dalkeith. It is bounded on the west and north by the parish of Lasswade, on the east, by Newbattle and on the south by Carrington. It extends about three miles (4.8 km) from north to south and its greatest breadth is about 2+1⁄2 miles (4.0 km).
Channelkirk is a parish and community council area in the north-west corner of the historic county of Berwickshire in the Scottish Borders area of Scotland, forming the upper part of the ancient district of Lauderdale, while the parish of Lauder forms the lower part. The Community Council has the name Oxton and Channelkirk, Oxton being the main village of the parish. It was formerly in the Ettrick and Lauderdale district of Borders Region. A small strip of land along the northern boundary of the parish was added to Ettrick and Lauderdale district and thus also to the community council area, in the Brothershiels area, in 1988.
Cranston is a parish of Midlothian, Scotland, lying 4+1⁄4 miles south-east of Dalkeith. It is bounded by the parishes of Inveresk and Ormiston on the east, by Crichton and Borthwick on the south ; and by Newbattle on the west and north. The River Tyne flows through the centre of the parish.
Whitehill is a village in Midlothian in the south-east of Scotland, approximately 1.5 miles (2 km) south-east of Dalkeith and 8.5 miles (13.6 km) from Edinburgh. The village is situated on the northwest slope of the Mayfield-Tranent ridge which spans the border between Midlothian and East Lothian. Both road entrances to the village offer magnificent panoramic views over Edinburgh, the Firth of Forth and the Pentland Hills.
D'Arcy is a hamlet in Midlothian, Scotland, located just south of Dalkeith near Edinburgh. It is ¼ mile east of Mayfield and lies within the Civil Parish of Newbattle and the area of Mayfield and Easthouses Community council.
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