Prestonkirk Parish Church

Prestonkirk Parish Church stands in the village of East Linton, East Lothian, beside the River Tyne and near Preston Mill. The present building dates mainly from 1770, though its tower was added in 1631. Earlier still, tradition places a church on this spot founded by Saint Baldred of Tyninghame in the 6th century. In 1824 the church was enlarged and in 1892 its interior was redesigned. A stained-glass window to Saint Baldred was installed in 1959. The churchyard holds the graves of notable figures from the district. Andrew Meikle, inventor of the threshing machine, lies here. So too does George Rennie, an agriculturalist whose brother John became a celebrated civil engineer. Their headstones mark two centuries of innovation in farming and machinery. Visitors find a quiet churchyard shaded by mature trees beside the river. The 1770 church building shows simple Georgian lines, while the older tower rises at the west end. Inside, the 1892 redesign left plain plastered walls and a small chancel. The 1959 window casts coloured light over the nave. Outside, gravestones tilt gently among grass and wildflowers, recalling generations who worshipped and worked along the Tyne.