TWEEDSMUIR PARISH HISTORY
1.3.1 Introduction to Tweedsmuir Churches.
The area now known as Tweedsmuir Parish was originally the southern part of Drumelzier Parish and known as South Drumellzier. During the early part of the seventeenth century it was decided that a new parish should be created and it was named Tweedsmoor. A roll of tenants for the new parish was taken in 1639 only one year on from the signing of the National Covenant in Greyfriars Kirk in Edinburgh in 1638. This roll included Johne Chisholme of Stanehope and Thomas cheisholme of houpcarton indicating that the new parish would extend as far north as Hopecarton. However, when the parish came into being in 1644 when the new Minister the Rev Alexander Trotter was appointed the northern boundary of the parish had been set at south of the Polmood Burn then moved to the Polmood Burn as it is today. A new custom-built Presbyterian Kirk - a God Box - was built but was not completed until 1648. The Kirk could be classed as a Covenanting Kirk. As late as 1684 the Privy Council in Edinburgh still referred to this church as the New Tweedsmoor Kirk - this was in the context of Covenanting activity and the Privy Council obviously thought that this new church was responsible for the troubles in the area. More about this time on page 9 Covenanters in Upper Tweed.
The Kirk was obviously not of the highest quality as the Kirk Session Records(3) show that in it's early days it was quite often "in a ruinious state" as indeed was the manse. The existing church in Drumelzier remained as the Parish Kirk for that parish.
Continue to Tweedsmuir First Kirk 1648-1874.
Tweedsmuir Second Kirk 1874 to Present.
Chapel Knowe Mound on which the Kirk is built.