Prof Adam Cumming, the chair of our board of trustees, reflects upon the recent AGM of the Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum (SPRF), of which he is also a trustee, and the two historic churches the Forum members visited on the day while walking a small part of an ancient East Lothian pilgrimage route.

One of the enjoyable parts of my role as Chair of SCT is to act as a Trustee for SPRF, helping to develop pilgrim routes old and new in Scotland. This started in SCT years ago and led to the forum which acts as a coordinator and supporter of routes across the country. On Saturday I attended their AGM in East Lothian.

The SPRF has worked tirelessly to both develop and promote Scottish routes as well as linking them to similar ones overseas. Much of this has been down to Nick Cooke as secretary of the Forum. He has done so much that it was a little sad that this was his last meeting in that role. He is however remaining as trustee so his expertise and enthusiasm will not be lost.

It was also an opportunity to visit two historic churches, one now run by a local heritage trust, Whitekirk Church, and Prestonkirk Church, part of Traprain Parish Church of Scotland. Whitekirk was built in the 15th century and restored after a fire in 1914 and Prestonkirk has a fine 13th century chancel, now owned and used as a burial vault by a local family, as well as parts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.

We had a tour of Whitekirk, which was recently purchased from the Church of Scotland by the Whitekirk Church New Life Trust, and then walked the 8km to Prestonkirk where we held the meeting.  We walked on part of the Forth to Farne Way, one of the newer but historically linked routes recognised by the SPRF.  Whitekirk Church was an important pilgrimage destination in the Middle Ages.

I think that the pointed barrel vault above Whitekirk’s former choir was designed to create excellent acoustics for music.  It was used very successfully as a Lammermuir Festival venue in September.  This suggests the music was important and valued in the late mediaeval Scottish Church so that buildings were designed for it. It also indicates that there was music of the quality to require such space, as well as talented musicians. An important building restored by Sir Robert Lorimer and very fortunately rescued.  It deserves further support.

After lunch in the hall, we moved into Prestonkirk itself for the AGM. As part of the meeting, we had a presentation from Shetland where they are developing a link to St Olav’s/Olof’s Way, a network of various routes across Scandinavia all focussed on the saint’s shrine in Trondheim.  By coincidence we had visited several churches in Sweden in September which form part of one of the routes and I hope to write about them shortly.

Prestonkirk has some fine stained glass by noted Scottish artist William Wilson, some of which (the war memorial windows) were relocated from a now closed Free Church in East Linton

Prestonkirk was also once an important centre and the east end has some of the finest 13th century architecture in East Lothian.  It has changed and developed to meet worship and community needs over time but it retains a sense of space and peace. 

I was also impressed by the St Baldred window by William Wilson.  Baldred was the local 6^th century missionary, so this is a link to the community’s past.

It was a good day, visiting, walking, talking, listening and learning.  It shows what we have and what we need to celebrate and prize.

Our thanks to Prof Cumming for his reflections on two of East Lothian’s historic churches. If you would like to share a blog about some churches in your local area do please get in touch!