Spring Road Trip Drive To Christ's Kirk On The Green On Visit To Leslie Fife Scotland

Tour Scotland Spring travel video, with Scottish music, of an April road trip drive from Glenrothes to Christ's Kirk On The Green on ancestry visit to Leslie, Fife. The Church or Kirk stands on the old village green of the town of Leslie. A church has existed on this site since at least 1239. A medieval church was demolished in 1819 and a gothic revival building constructed in its place, although some parts of the medieval church survive in the present building. In 1869, the church was doubled in size. Finally, a large boarded lychgate was added to the west end of the building in 1875. This lychgate still provides access to the enclosed graveyard located on the north side of the building. The Church was deconsecrated then converted to residential use in 1994. Not much is known about the history of this Scottish village before 1300. The village which bears the name of the Leslie family area descended from Bartolf or Bartholomew who was a Hungarian or maybe Flemish tradesman, who according to legend arrived in Scotland with Queen Margaret, the sister of Edgar the Ætheling in 1057. Finding favor with Queen Margaret's husband, Malcolm III, Bartolf became the governor of Edinburgh Castle and was knighted and granted with lands in Garroch in Aberdeenshire, making his residence at Leslie. A charter by William the Lion between 1172 and 1190, granted the lands of Aberdeenshire who were owned by Bartholomew to be passed down to his descendent. In 1283, Norman de Leslie, the fourth descendent of Bartholomew, was granted the lands Fettykill or Fythkill from Alexander III. A hamlet also known as Fettykill began to develop around these lands. In 1455, the settlement was renamed 'Leslie after Sir George Leslie. Burgh of Barony status followed in 1458 being awarded by James II after Sir George Leslie who became 1st Earl of Rothes, a title which came from the family owning land at Rothes, near Elgin in the North of Scotland. During this time, the family started to become prominent in Scottish affairs. John Leslie, the then Earl of Rothes, was awarded the title of Lord High Chancellor to Charles II in 1667 and then became known as the Duke of Rothes in 1680. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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