| It is believed that some form of
Church has existed on this site from c.800 AD but the earliest
written record appeared c.1190 when a priest, Helia de Perthic,
gifted the newly founded Anglo - Norman Church to Paisley
Abbey. Through the centuries Mearns
Kirk has steadfastly served its parishioners and has undergone
several structural changes as it has sought to meet the
needs of its times. The main square section of the present
building dates from 1813 but in 1932 a Session House, Vestry,
and Chancel were added to the west, east, and north sides
and the interior was altered and refurbished.
Maintaining the internal beauty of the
building is an ongoing task. In 2001 a major restructuring
and enlarging of the Vestry area produced a fine entrance
vestibule, while the raising and extending of the Chancel
floor has created a most attractive open area in the centre
of the Church which features in the National Buildings Record
as a building of architectural merit.
The Kirkyard which surrounds the Church
has been the final resting place of many parishioners -
the oldest legible inscription dates back to 1611; the last
interment occurred in the 1950s. The gate at the entrance
to the Kirkyard has hollow gate posts which acted as sentry
boxes in the early 19th century when graveyard watchers
guarded the graves at night against “resurrectionists”,
grave robbers, who supplied anatomists with corpses.
This historic building and its Kirkyard welcomes you!
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