James Gillespie Graham’s 1820 parish church and its burial ground preserve a long religious focus for the scattered communities around Shotts.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1820; renovated 1871
- Architect / designer
- James Gillespie Graham; renovation by James Brash
- Type
- Parish church and historic graveyard
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB18228)
- OS grid reference
- NS 84276 62950
Architecture and continuing use
The official record attributes the church to James Gillespie Graham and notes James Brash’s later renovation. Its church-and-graveyard grouping matters as much as an isolated façade: the building, monuments, enclosure and elevated rural setting together express a historic parish centre.
Its story
The Kirk o’ Shotts site served a parish whose settlements later expanded through coal, iron and transport. The present church was erected in 1820 and altered in 1871. Denominational records continue to identify the congregation, although presbytery organisation and service patterns can change independently of the listed-building entry.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a parish church by a major Scottish architect, its nineteenth-century alteration and the historic setting formed with the graveyard.
What to notice
- The church’s principal massing within the burial ground.
- Masonry or openings that may distinguish the 1820 and 1871 work.
- Grave monuments recording the wider historic parish.
Reading the surroundings
Check local worship and opening information. Respect services and burials, keep to paths, do not lean on monuments and avoid photographing mourners.
Timeline
- 1820 James Gillespie Graham designed the present parish church.
- 1871 James Brash directed a substantial renovation.
- 1971 The church and graveyard received national listing.
- 2026 Church of Scotland data continues to identify the congregation.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The designation gives little architectural detail, and current service times were not independently confirmed. Congregational structures may change while the protected fabric remains.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Kirk o’ Shotts and Graveyard, LB18228 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Trove designation: LB18228 — Parallel national designation identity and archival context.
- Church of Scotland: registered congregational data including Kirk o’ Shotts — Current denominational evidence for the continuing Kirk o’ Shotts congregation; service arrangements should still be checked locally.
Location
OS grid reference NS 84276 62950 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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