This quaint little Historical village nestled Comfortably in the top of the Bathgate Hills, Torphichen is West Lothian’s ‘Jewl in the Crown’. A quiet little village of only 100 acres, the village holds a magnificent wealth of History. It’s surroundings hold even more History Including the Crusader’s order of the Knight’s of Saint John of Malta, William Wallace right over almost a Millennium to the Famous 1970’s Pop Group, the Bay City Rollers.

Torphichen in the Hills

The ‘Midland Valley Sill Complex’ created in the carboniferous age, left the Hills Torphichen sits upon, a solid rock foundation as a result of the Volcanic Rock formed away back around 300 million years ago. It was by no means the First settlement in this small area alone, let alone the broader area of the Bathgate Hills which hosted a whole plethora of Ancient Prehistoric Settlements dating back to the Megalithic Age. The Stone Circle and henge on Cairnpapple Hill lies only a mile up the hill from Torphichen

There are also many sites of Bronze Age activity and burial grounds. There has also been findings of Roam presence in the area and evidence of Norse raiders too. So, its safe to say that the area had long been populated before the Village of Torphichen. But how did Torphichen itself come to be? Lets have a look shall we?

The Knights of Saint John of Malta

In the late 11th Century Kingdoms of Christendom united to crusade on ‘The Holy Land’ of Palestine to retrieve Jerusalem from the Hold of Saracen Leader Saladin who had brought the ‘Holy City’ and Temple under Islamic hold. The Hospice of Saint John of Malta was set up in Jerusalem to care for the sick and wounded victims of the war. However, in the Second crusade, they realised the dangers of being a medic at this time and realised it would take a little bit of protection. So the Order of Saint John, or ‘Knight’s Hospitaller’ was set up as Warrior Monks who were in effect, the paramedics of the Crusades.

Returning from the crusades and landing here in Scotland, the Hospitaller s continued their vow to care for the Sick, the poor and the Pilgrims. The preceptory acted as a Headquarters for the Knights of Saint john throughout Scotland whilst still answerable to their main British Isles Headquarters of Clerkenwell abbey n London.

A City of Refuge

On the outer peripherals of Torphichen, there are Four Individual standing stones, placed precisely to mark the One Mile Radius of the Preceptory. Four Stones – One East, West, North and South. These standing stone perimeter markers were Indeed known as ‘the Refuge Stones’.But what were these refuge stones and what did they stand for? Refuge from who?Well, the structure of how these stones work lies within the pages of thr Bible itself. This was the very rulebook the Knights lived by.

Now, according to the Biblical book of Kings, Jerusalem had numerous ‘Cities of Refuge’ which offered a level of Justice through ‘Fair Trial’ for the people who may have broken the common laws. For example, lets say a man was out working in the field with a colleague and the head comes off his pick axe and kills his colleague. If that happened today, the man would doubtlessly be charged for Manslaughter. It wasnt an accident because he should have took measure to make sure his tools were safe enough before using the. But it wasnt some deliberate act, in which case would be murder.

However, they didnt have Manslaughter laws back then. It was ‘an eye for an eye’ and ultimately a Life for a Life. He had killed someone, so the mob basically had the r the legal right to lynch him. But if he could get away and flee to the preceptory First, and get within that perimeter, then he was Untouchable to the crowd because they were now under the Jurisdiction o the HO

The Preceptory

Wallace and the Wars of Independence

After defeating Edward the First of England’s army in 1296 at the battle of ‘Stirlin Brig’, William Wallace and his Army Marched Southwards to Torphichen Preceptory. where he was subsequently Knighted ‘High Guardian of Scotland’, the highest order that can be bestowed upon anyone not of Royal descent. It’s highly probably that the reason they made for Torphichen rafter Stirlin Brig to receive medical aid. but it was also a very strong geographical position for him to run this war from.

In March of 1298, Wallace issued a charter rewarding a man named Alexander Scrimdewar for bearing his standard in battle, rewarding him with Lands near Dundee.

Lord Torphichen – Piety to Peership

During the reformation of the 16th century, the entire concept of the Preceptory alone was in jeopardy. In 1564, the Precepter James Sandiland surrendered the Preceptory Estates to Mary Queen of Scots. But then bought them back again immediately for 10k Crowns and was bestowed the title upon him of Lord Torphichen.

The Village

After the Preceptory became the Kirk, its vast walls and gardens of the monastery it had been were no longer required for the lowly Presbyterian Kirk. So a lot of the Masonry that made up the Original Preceptory walls we used to build the village on the same ground and surrounds. If you drive through Torphichen today on the Bathgate to Linlithgow road, you will notice some really quaint old buildings built from the stone of the Outer Preceptory walls.

Saint Ninian Statue

Festivities

The First Torphichen Gala Day was held in 1908

Torphichen Today

A Conservation Town

55% Natural space to 45% Man made

Bowyett built in the 1950s