About Us > Walkerburn

Walkerburn Church is situated on Galashiels Road to the east end of the village. The building is now closed and no longer used for worship. The Walkerburn Development Trust is in the process of bidding for the building for use by the community. Services in Walkerburn now take place in the Village Hall and Walkerburn Rugby Club.

The location and Church history below is for interest only.

The Church building is situated on the A 72 Peebles to Galashiels road towards the east end of the village.  The Church stands to the north of the road about 100 metres from the Village Hall.

Church History

The village of Walkerburn formerly known as Caberston, was a settlement which mainly housed agricultural workers, who were for many years without a place of worship. During this time the villagers travelled up the valley of Tweed and Leithen to the ancient Church on the hillside by Cauldhame on the outskirts of Innerleithen.

In the year 1701 the Church built the Cuddy Bridge to enable its worshippers from Caberston to cross the Leithen Water in a more modern and convenient fashion. This practice continued for a further 167 years, until steps were taken to furnish the village with a place of worship of their own.

On 22nd. March 1876 a petition from the inhabitants of Walkerburn was read before the Presbytery. It mentioned that a new Chapel erected by friends with the assistance of the Home Mission Committee, and also the Baird Trust, would be ready in six weeks and contained 500 sittings. The Church at Walkerburn was now firmly established, and its inhabitants well pleased with what had been achieved. Steps were taken to move towards an independent Church and Parish within the Presbytery. On 22nd. February 1882 a petition from Mr. David Ballantyne Sunnybrae, Mr. John Ballantyne Stoneyhill, and Mr William Gibson West Bold was presented to the Presbytery asking their consent to an application to the Court of Teinds for the erection of a Church and Parish at Walkerburn, and on March 9th. the new Parish boundaries were defined and approved. Confirmation regarding the decision was received on 2nd. July 1883. In 1891 Walkerburn Church was enlarged by the addition of accommodation for 200 more sittings, and soon thereafter an organ was installed.

In 1975, the Parish was linked with Innerleithen and shortly after the Manse was sold and part of the Church was reconstructed to meet the needs of the various Church organizations. The gallery section to the rear of the Church was remodelled and a lower and upper room was provided, as meeting places for the Courts of the Church, Sunday School, Womans Guild and other organisations.

In 1984 the Parish of Walkerburn was linked to Innerleithen and Traquair and in 2000, the three linked parishes formed a union creating the Parish of Innerleithen, Traquair and Walkerburn.