Site Report

WoSASPIN 9249

(NS 6455 5995) Cambuslang Parish (Old) Church was built in 1841 on the site of one built in 1743, which in turn succeeded one built in 1626. A church and burial ground is noted at the present site in 1458. A stone coffin was found during the rebuilding in 1743. The church is said to be dedicated to St Cadoc or Cadocus (6th century), but there is no evidence of a Culdee church having existed in this parish.
OSA 1793; Orig Paroch Scot 1851; J T T Brown 1884; J A Wilson 1929; G Hay 1957.

The earliest gravestone in the churchyard is dated 1658. No further information.
Visited by OS (J L D) 12 August 1953.

Although there is a church at Cambuslang in the medieval period, any associated settlement may have been dispersed in nature. A settlement called "Cambuslang" is shown on Roy's Military Survey of Scotland (1747-55) at NS 65655 60620, some 1.25km to the north-east (see WoSASPIN 53172). A smaller settlement near the church is called "Kirkhill" (see WoSASPIN 53173) to differentiate it from the site of the early modern fermtoun. Other early settlement foci in the area shown on Roy's map include East Cotts (East Coats on 1st Ed. O.S. See WoSASPIN 40550), Mid Cotts (West Coats on 1st Ed. O.S. See WoSASPIN 40551), Howieshill (see WoSASPIN 40549), and Gateside (see WoSASPIN 53174). The modern centre of Cambuslang Main Street exists only as a road in the mid-eighteenth century.
Entered WoSAS (HMcB) 23/03/2006

David Cousin of Edinburgh, 1839-41. Rectangular church with square tower central on E gables; transitional style, round-headed openings, mostly tall lights, inset shafts with scalloped capitals; plaster strips; pinnacles; tower has door at foot, clock and belfry stages above main roofline, lucarned tall spire, re-set 1626 stone within; block corbels at eaves and parapets; 4-bay flanks; chancel by Peter MacGregor Chalmers, ´9-22 (although designed ´3), at W and vestry.

Stugged ashlar, polished dressings, slate roofs. Impressive vaulted interior, curved gallery on cast-iron columns; leaded windows, tapestries and altar cross all by Sadie MacLellan; 1612 bell installed MIH (for John Houston) and CH (possibly for Charles Hogg, Edinburgh Bell-founder); war memorial also by MacGregor Chalmers, 1921.

Churchyard enclosed by rubble-built walls and modern iron railings, gatepiers with intersecting arcading, cast-iron gates; stone monuments, mostly 19th century headstones, much vandalised.

Ecclesiastical building in use as such.
Derived from HS Listed Building Data
Entered WoSAS (MO'H) 01/07/2008