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Seton Collegiate Church, East Lothian

 
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gourdongirl



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 1066
Location: Musselburgh Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 8:12 pm    Post subject: Seton Collegiate Church, East Lothian Reply with quote

There are no CWGC stones at Seton Collegiate Church, but there are 2 military graves.

The church is located 2km south east of Cockenzie off the A198, Grid reference NT 418751.

Seton Collegiate Church is currently under the care of Historic Scotland and is open to the public from 1st April till 30th September. There is a charge to non-Historic Scotland members. It is an attractive ecclesiastical building, in a wooded setting, Seton Collegiate Church has a 15th century chancel and apse.

Seton is one of the finest medieval collegiate churches surviving in Scotland. Its story begins in the 12th century, when the site was chosen for a new church serving the parishioners of Seton. In the 15th century, the church was increasingly used as the private place of worship and burial vault of the Seton family, the local landowners. (Their residence, Seton Castle, lay immediately to the west on a site now occupied by Seton Palace.)(See below photo of Seton Palace)

The 1st Lord Seton introduced the college of priests in 1470, and his son secured papal approval for full collegiate status in 1492. But following the death of the widow of the 3rd Lord in 1558, the Protestant Reformation of 1560 effectively put paid to the church being used for masses for the souls of the Setons.

Seton continued for a while thereafter as the parish kirk. But following the union of the parishes of Seton and Tranent in 1580, the building fell out of active use. The kirk was ransacked, and the Seton tombs broken into after the 1715 Jacobite Rising, for the Setons had supported the exiled James Edward Stuart.

Later that century the estate passed to the Earl of Wemyss, who restored what survived of the kirk as his family’s burial place.


Collegiate churches are so called because they housed a college, or community, of priests. These were brought together by the local landowner to pray for his and his family’s salvation. During the course of the 15th century, the Setons began the process of raising their parish church to collegiate status. After the death of Lord John Seton in 1434, his widow, Lady Catherine, added a small side-chapel to the south side of the church, to house her late husband’s tomb and a private altar. (The chapel no longer exists.)

In 1470, Lady Catherine’s grandson, George, 1st Lord Seton, founded the college of priests, without securing papal permission. He also started building the splendid new choir that now dominates the site, and a small sacristy, where the priests prepared themselves for the mass. His son finally gained the pope’s blessing in 1492, and completed his father’s building programme. The church was dedicated to St Mary and the Holy Cross, and the college comprised a provost, six priests, a clerk and two choir boys. Their domestic quarters survive as foundations only to the NW of the church.



During the Wars of the Rough Wooing between Scotland and England in the 1540s, the English burned the timber work and stole the bells and organ. Lady Janet, widow of the 3rd Lord Seton, did her best to repair the damage, demolishing Lady Catherine’s chapel and building the present transepts and bell tower. But the Reformation of 1560 effectively brought an end to the collegiate life.

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gourdongirl



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 1066
Location: Musselburgh Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


MI:
Sir Edward Stevenson KCVO, MC 1895-1958, his wife Ela Violet Ethel Peyton 1900-1975

The above stone is located on the floor in this area of the church.


Sir Edward Stevenson was a Lt.Col, he was The Gentleman Usher of the Green Rod at Queen Elizabeth II Coronantion
Lt.Col Sir Edward Daymonde Stevenson, son of George Carew Stevenson, married Ela Violet Ethel Peyton in 1899, she was the daughter of Gen. Sir William Eliot Peyton KCB, KCVO, DSO and Mabel Maria Gage.

The Stevenson family (Prestonfield House) were long term tenants of Seton Palace, which they rented from the Wemyss Estate for most of the 20th Century.

I am really struggling to find any military information, or any information about Sir Edward Stevenson.
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gourdongirl



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 1066
Location: Musselburgh Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:36 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


MI:
In memoriam
Lt Gen Sir Kenneth Morley Loch KCIE CB MC 18th September 1890-9th January 1961
Angus David Loch son of Sir Kenneth and Lady Monica Loch 30th December 1936-29th December 2004

Lt Gen Sir Kenneth Loch was educated at Wellington College. Joining the Royal Artillery in 1910, he saw action in during the First World War at retreat from Mons and the battles of Marne and Aisne all in 1914. Leaving the front lines in 1916 he became an instructor in gunnery, at School of Instruction for Royal Horse Artillery and Royal Field Artillery until returning to active service in Italy during 1918.

Between the wars he was involved in air defence preparations for Britain and the British Empire.

From the beginning of the Second World War until 1941, he was Director of Anti-Aircraft and Coastal Defence. He argued successfully against the use of chemical weapons in case of a German invasion of Britain. After a three year tour of inspection of anti-aircraft defences in the British Empire he became Master-General of Ordnance, India from 1944 until his retirement in 1947. In retirement he was head of the board of governors of Wellington College and worked for the British Council.

He was the uncle of former Labour MP Tam Dalyell

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gourdongirl



Joined: 10 Oct 2008
Posts: 1066
Location: Musselburgh Scotland

PostPosted: Thu Dec 02, 2010 9:41 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Some more pictures of Seton Collegiate Church.

Ruins of monks quarters.



Coats of Arms from Seton Castle.
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