THE future of an historic church is unclear after its final Sunday service was held at the weekend.

St Mary’s Parish Church in Whitekirk dates back to the 12th century.

But there will be no regular worship at the Whitekirk church in future after the parish of Whitekirk and Tyninghame united with the parishes of Athelstaneford and Traprain to form an extended parish of Traprain.

The union will see weekly services continue to take place at Prestonkirk Parish Church, East Linton.

While on the first and third Sundays of the month there will be a service at Athelstaneford; and on the second and fourth Sundays there will be a service at Stenton.

The Rev Tom Gordon, previously interim moderator at St Mary’s, which has not had a minister since 2018 when the Rev Joanne Evans-Boiten left to create a retreat centre in France, stressed that weddings booked this summer at the Whitekirk church would go ahead as planned.

Speaking to the Courier on Tuesday, he said the final service had gone “very well”.

He said: “There was sadness, of course, it was inevitable, but a very positive feeling about knuckling down and getting on with things.”

Twenty-four people attended the service – the maximum allowed due to coronavirus restrictions – with presentations made to both Mr Gordon and also Dr Thomas Torrance, the session clerk, for his 20-plus years of service.

Asked what the future held for the church building, Mr Gordon added: “That has not even been talked about yet.

“We know it is not going to be used for regular worship but, as to what the future holds, such discussions have not been opened up yet.”

Meanwhile, plans are being drawn up for a thanksgiving service in the Whitekirk church in September.

A spokesperson for the Presbytery of Lothian said: “The parish of Whitekirk and Tyninghame has united with the parishes of Athelstaneford and Traprain to form the parish of Traprain.

“As a result of this union, the congregations, which have been without a minister for a number of years, are now able to look for a new minister and will be better resourced to serve the community around them.

“The name ‘Traprain’ is being retained because it gives a good sense of the inland area the parish covers, from the Eastern Garletons to the Lammermuir Hills.

“The kirk session intend to hold a final service [at St Mary’s] to thank God for the faith and service which this building has sustained.

“It hopes that it will be possible to do this in September but it will depend on Covid restrictions being lifted.”

The church has a long and rich history: in 1914, when it sustained severe damage during a fire, everything but the stone walls and vaulting were destroyed in a blaze which was allegedly set by suffragette protestors.