A roofless rectangular kirk, late-eighteenth-century tower and memorial-rich graveyard record post-Reformation worship in the burgh.
Quick facts
- Date
- Built 1659–64; enlarged by 1770; abandoned 1883
- Architect / designer
- Burgh and parish heritors; individual masons not recorded
- Type
- Post-Reformation parish kirk ruin and graveyard
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM10351)
- OS grid reference
- NT 55352 85213
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Rubble walls define the long rectangular worship space, with later porches, session accommodation and a central western tower. The surrounding burial ground preserves graveslabs and monuments spanning several centuries.
Its story
Construction began in 1659 after coastal erosion made the harbour kirk unusable, and recycled stone helped complete the new church by 1664. Galleries, lofts and a tower were added as the congregation grew; worship moved to a new parish church in 1883.
Why it is included
The ruin provides an unusually clear link between Reformed worship, burgh government, heritor patronage and local burial history.
What to notice
- Long preaching-kirk plan.
- Late-eighteenth-century western tower.
- Memorials recording burgh families and religious conflict.
Reading the surroundings
Treat the site as both a protected monument and burial place. Use established entrances and paths, avoid leaning on masonry or memorials, and respect any temporary restrictions or continuing burial rights.
Timeline
- 1659 Work began on a replacement for the eroding harbour church.
- 1664 The new parish kirk and graveyard came into use.
- 1770 A major phase of enlargement and gallery provision was complete.
- 1883 Regular parish worship transferred to a newly built church.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The ruin changed repeatedly between the seventeenth and nineteenth centuries, and not every wall belongs to the first building campaign.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: St Andrew’s Kirk, Kirk Ports, SM10351 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Historic North Berwick: archaeological implications of development — Independent archaeological and burgh context for the church, graveyard and settlement development.
Location
OS grid reference NT 55352 85213 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; the independent source confirms the Place relationship, history or current identity. · 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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