Mid Calder Parish Church

Kirk of Calder stands in Mid Calder, West Lothian, on ground first used for worship in the 12th century. The present stone church, built in Gothic style, dates from 1541 and is recognised by Historic Environment Scotland as a Category A building. Only the choir was completed in the 16th century under Peter Sandilands, leaving the nave and entrance unfinished. A belfry and transept were added in 1863, but the main door sits in an unusual position between the choir and south transept. The church was already in use by 1560, when the Reformation reached Scotland. The interior holds a carved wooden pew from 1595 and a stained glass window of 1895 by Hardman, commemorating James Young FRS, known as ‘Paraffin Young’. A manse to the east, nicknamed Brewery House, recalls the time when Reverend Norman Mackenzie left the ministry to become a brewer in Edinburgh. Conservation work in the early 1990s preserved these features for future generations. The church continues to serve the local community with regular services each week. Visitors find a quiet medieval sanctuary with Gothic ashlar walls and a distinctive north-south belfry. The 1595 pew and the Hardman window remain in place, while the manse’s humorous name adds a touch of local colour. The building’s incomplete 16th-century plan gives it an unusual shape, and the single entrance adds to its character. The gravestone of Peter McLagan MP lies nearby, marking another layer of the site’s history.