Template:FP-Torphichen

From Wikishire
Revision as of 21:25, 13 September 2018 by RB (talk | contribs) (Created page with "{{#switch:{{{1}}} |pic=Torphichen Hills.jpg |cap=The hills at Torphichen, West Lothian |text='''Torphichen''' is a small village in the west of West Lothian, located near...")
(diff) ← Older revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)
Jump to navigation Jump to search
The hills at Torphichen, West Lothian

Torphichen

Torphichen is a small village in the west of West Lothian, located near Bathgate, and with a parish population of 570 at the 2011 Census. The name 'Torphichen' may be from Gaelic or Pictish or Old Welsh; all three languages met here in ancient days.

The village church is said to have been founded by St Ninian in about the year 400. The Knights Hospitaller of St John made their Scottish headquarters at Torphichen from about 1160. In modern days the village has been strongly Protestant and "came out" in the Disruption of 1843, so that the village has the oldest purpose-built Free Church. (Read more)