The following information is extracted with permission, from the booklet, “Kirkliston – A Parish History”, by Donald Whyte (1991) - (ISBN 0 9504329)
“Whose only wish is that the information in this book will benefit the ever increasing band of people interested in our rich heritage of local history and tradition”.
(Kirkliston was designated a Conservation Area in 1977. The conservation area all lies south of the main crossroads and Main Street. It focuses on the Parish Church, The Square and the High Street but also stretches south down to encompass the remote manse and the little group of buildings at Breastmill (1672). –Wikipedia)
“Whose only wish is that the information in this book will benefit the ever increasing band of people interested in our rich heritage of local history and tradition”.
(Kirkliston was designated a Conservation Area in 1977. The conservation area all lies south of the main crossroads and Main Street. It focuses on the Parish Church, The Square and the High Street but also stretches south down to encompass the remote manse and the little group of buildings at Breastmill (1672). –Wikipedia)
The Parish of Kirkliston was originally called Liston, recorded in various forms, between 1163 and 1218. The form Temple Liston was first used about 1298 by an English chronicler undoubtedly because the Knights Templars possessed the central part of the parish, or the Barony of Liston. The Templars were suppressed in 1312 and their lands were given to the Knights Hospitalliers, the Order of the Knights of St John. (They are commemorated by the Maltese Cross in the arms of the Community Council, which were granted in 1991 - Wikipedia)
The name Liston is a compound word probably of the British “Lys” – signifying a county hall or manor place and the Saxon ”Tun” denoting a dwelling place. The prefix Kirk was attached to Liston during the 14th century.
Kirkliston has the nickname “Cheesetown”, commonly believed to be because the workmen from Kirkliston, working on the Rail Bridge between 1883 and 1890 invariably ate cheese with their bread. We are presumably asked to believe that the landladies of workmen from other villages did not make up “pieces” with cheese.
(Or perhaps it is because of the poem below written by Robert Burns. The oldest house in the town is Castle House which has a marriage lintel stone dated 1683. Robert Burns stayed there in 1787 and inscribed this verse on a window pane, now in a Vancouver museum:
Kirkliston has the nickname “Cheesetown”, commonly believed to be because the workmen from Kirkliston, working on the Rail Bridge between 1883 and 1890 invariably ate cheese with their bread. We are presumably asked to believe that the landladies of workmen from other villages did not make up “pieces” with cheese.
(Or perhaps it is because of the poem below written by Robert Burns. The oldest house in the town is Castle House which has a marriage lintel stone dated 1683. Robert Burns stayed there in 1787 and inscribed this verse on a window pane, now in a Vancouver museum:
"The ants about their cod employ their care
and think the business of the world is theirs.
Lo: waxen combs seem palace to bees.
And mites conceive the world to be cheese." – Wikipedia)
and think the business of the world is theirs.
Lo: waxen combs seem palace to bees.
And mites conceive the world to be cheese." – Wikipedia)
Kirkliston Parish Church
The oldest surviving building in Kirkliston is the Kirk for which the town is named. The architecture indicates that it was built around 1200.
It has a bricked up doorway which is an excellent example of a Romanesque style arched entrance, typical of the late 12th century with multiple concentric geometric and sculpted forms in each curve. It was bricked up during remodelling in 1822 and the old north doorway was moved to the eastern wall to become the main entrance.
The earliest gravestone in the kirkyard in Kirkliston is dated 1525 and there are some fine examples of 18th and 19th century carving and lettering. One of the most interesting headstones – noted by the Science Museum, South Kensington, London, - has a carved pediment, with, at either end a head wearing spectacles: the earliest known example of these in Scotland and possibly Britain. The stone bears the initials JB – JW and the date 1727.
In 1893 the Privy Council ordered the closure of the Old Kirkyard (except for widows or widowers whose spouses had already been interred) because the ground was “Contrary to decency” and a new cemetery was opened at the East end of the Glebe.
During the early part of the 19th century, around 1830, Kirkliston had two visits from grave robbers, who dug up freshly buried corpses to sell to the anatomy schools. In 1818 the resurrectionists carried off the bodies of a young widow who died in childbirth and a widow over 80 years of age. The Kirk Session made extensive enquiries and offered a reward of 20 guineas for information which would lead to the arrest of the robbers to no avail. The Session built a watch-house at the east gate of the kirkyard and the vigilance of the parishioners prevented any further robberies taking place
During the early part of the 19th century, around 1830, Kirkliston had two visits from grave robbers, who dug up freshly buried corpses to sell to the anatomy schools. In 1818 the resurrectionists carried off the bodies of a young widow who died in childbirth and a widow over 80 years of age. The Kirk Session made extensive enquiries and offered a reward of 20 guineas for information which would lead to the arrest of the robbers to no avail. The Session built a watch-house at the east gate of the kirkyard and the vigilance of the parishioners prevented any further robberies taking place
Richard Burke and William Hare,
infamous Edinburgh grave robbers and murderers in 1828. - image- wikimedia public domain
infamous Edinburgh grave robbers and murderers in 1828. - image- wikimedia public domain
Witchcraft
Several Kirkliston witch trials are recorded. The most notable witch of Kirkliston Parish was Euphame McCalzean, daughter of Lord Cliftonhall. In July 1591 she appeared before the High Court in Edinburgh charged with crimes varying from common witchcraft to conspiring against the life of King James VI. Euphame was one of nine principals, five men and four women – at ‘the conjuring of cats’ whereby the witches claimed to have raised a great storm on 1st august 1590 that nearly wrecked the ship in which James VI and his bride Anne of Denmark were coming to Scotland from Oslo. Euphame was sentenced to be burned alive on the Castle Hill in Edinburgh. This was the most severe sentence ever pronounced by the court. Ordinarily condemned felons were strangled by the common hangman before being committed to the flames. She endured her fate with obstinancy to the last. Extracts from the Linlithgow Presbytery records show there were Kirkliston witches in the 1650’s. (The height of witch hunting was during the first half of the 1600’s. The crime of Witchcraft was abolished in Scotland in 1736. There had not been an execution of Witches during the seven years previous. The last witch execution in Scotland was Janet Horne in Dornoch in 1727.)
Several Kirkliston witch trials are recorded. The most notable witch of Kirkliston Parish was Euphame McCalzean, daughter of Lord Cliftonhall. In July 1591 she appeared before the High Court in Edinburgh charged with crimes varying from common witchcraft to conspiring against the life of King James VI. Euphame was one of nine principals, five men and four women – at ‘the conjuring of cats’ whereby the witches claimed to have raised a great storm on 1st august 1590 that nearly wrecked the ship in which James VI and his bride Anne of Denmark were coming to Scotland from Oslo. Euphame was sentenced to be burned alive on the Castle Hill in Edinburgh. This was the most severe sentence ever pronounced by the court. Ordinarily condemned felons were strangled by the common hangman before being committed to the flames. She endured her fate with obstinancy to the last. Extracts from the Linlithgow Presbytery records show there were Kirkliston witches in the 1650’s. (The height of witch hunting was during the first half of the 1600’s. The crime of Witchcraft was abolished in Scotland in 1736. There had not been an execution of Witches during the seven years previous. The last witch execution in Scotland was Janet Horne in Dornoch in 1727.)
Drambuie
From 1969 to 2001 the west side of Kirkliston was the site of the Drambuie Liqueur Factory providing employment for up to 150 workers, men and women, in peak periods. There had also been a whisky distiller in the south of the town since 1795, which in later years became a malt factory. Both were demolished for housing. (The history of the Kirkliston Distillers are stories in themselves).
From 1969 to 2001 the west side of Kirkliston was the site of the Drambuie Liqueur Factory providing employment for up to 150 workers, men and women, in peak periods. There had also been a whisky distiller in the south of the town since 1795, which in later years became a malt factory. Both were demolished for housing. (The history of the Kirkliston Distillers are stories in themselves).
According to family tradition the recipe for the world famous liqueur was given to the ancestors of the Mackinnon directors by Prince Chares Edward Stuart for their loyalty during the Jacobite Rising in 1745. While their allegiance cannot be doubted it is however possible that the Mackinnon’s were entrusted with the secret recipe because of their skills in measuring liquids. The production of Drambuie (Drambuidhe = yellow drink) began commercially in 1903 when Malcolm Mackinnon &Son established a business at 9 Union Street, Edinburgh.
The Drambuie and Kirkliston Pipe Band was formed around the close of WWII, but went out of existence some 15 years later. A new band was formed in 1990 and a sponsorship arrangement was made with the Drambuie Liqueur Co. Ltd involving an input of around £40,000 which ensured a good beginning for the Drambuie Kirkliston Pipe Band which played at many events, festivals and processions. (Drambuie limited provided the group with one of the pipe band world’s best sponsorships, with the band supplied with two kilts and various combinations of uniforms. The band travelled extensively to raise awareness of the Drambuie brand around the world. It lost its sponsorship in 2005 when the Drambuie company withdrew sponsorship of the band after experiencing financial challenges and redeveloped its marketing and sponsorship programs. The band chose to disband rather than search for other funding. It had been set to start its first season in grade 1 after being officially upgraded. www.pipesdrums.com)
Recorded music is available from various sites including Amazon and the band can be heard in YouTube
©Queensferry History Group 2018