Cross Kirk

Peeblesshire, United Kingdom

The Ruins of the Cross Kirk can be found just north of the town centre of Peebles. The ruins were once a Trinitarian Priory. The priory was built by King Alexander III of Scotland following the discovery here of a cross and relics of St Nicholas of Myrna.

A fine cross was found on the site of the Cross Kirk in 1241, followed by the discovery of a stone urn containing what some claimed were the remains of St Nicholas. The church was founded there that century to mark the discovery of these sacred items.

The 1200s western doorway is the most significant feature to survive of the church, which stands surrounded by attractive mature Scots pine.

Religious sites in United Kingdom

Address

Cross Road 8, Peebles, Peeblesshire, United Kingdom

See all sites in Peeblesshire

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Religious sites in United Kingdom

More Information

www.historicenvironment.scot

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby

Neidpath Castle (1,5 km)

St Giles' Cathedral (32,8 km)
Edinburgh Castle (32,7 km)
Edinburgh Old Town (32,9 km)
Greyfriars Kirk (32,5 km)
National Museum of Scotland (32,5 km)
Calton Hill (33,4 km)
National Monument of Scotland (33,4 km)
St Cuthbert's Church (32,9 km)
Holyrood Palace (33,2 km)

User Reviews

Jess Astian (22 days ago)
A small but very well-maintained place for a little time travel to the medieval period. Despite the few remaining walls, there are still some interesting things to discover. Stone outlines in the grass show the former layout of rooms where no walls stand today.

Ingrid Peebles (17 months ago)
Really lovely & peaceful. Great history.

Brian Henderson (18 months ago)
Beautiful and peaceful. A ruined old church with a fascinating history. Links to St Nicholas and a site with many stories to tell. Free to enter, well maintained, credit to those who look after these places. 5*

Scott McCafferty (3 years ago)
Santa is buried here. That's right folks, Santa is dead..

K Rae (3 years ago)
Free, beautiful, very well maintained and relaxing old church ruins, with information boards around. No facilities but then it's virtually in the middle of Peebles so none necessary.

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Finest Norman castles in Italy

Exploring the History of Northern Poland

Discovering Slovenia's Historic Wonders

Photo from Flickr, copyright Bela Lindtner

Historic Site of the week

Gravensteen

The Gravensteen is a castle in Ghent originating from the Middle Ages. The name means 'castle of the counts' in Dutch. Arnulf I (918–965), Count of Flanders, was the first to fortify this place, building a medieval bastion on this high sand dune, naturally protected by the river Leie and its marshy banks. This bastion consisted of a central wooden building and several surrounding buildings, also in wood.

In the early 11th century, the wooden building was replaced by a stone residence, consisting of three large halls that made up three storeys, connected by a stone stairwell. The monumental stone staircase, the light openings, the fireplaces built into the walls and the latrines were signs of considerable luxury and comfort in those days. There was probably also a tower.