Temple Old Kirk is a picturesque ruined church structure, parts of which go back to the 12th Century, and with a historical connection to the Order of the Knights Templar, when Balantrodach, as Temple

and its surrounding lands were referred to in the

12th Century, was the principal seat of the Order in Scotland and where its Preceptory was established.

 

Although limited archaeological evidence remains

or is accessible, there are still some details and

features in the stonework of the Old Kirk that indicate

its origins with the Knights Templar and the

Order of St John that followed. 

 

The peaceful graveyard that surrounds the Old Kirk

retains a sense of its previously central role in

the parish life of 17th-century Temple as it developed from an agricultural village to its present day form. 

 

The headstones and their inscriptions also provide much insight into the strong connections between the place of worship the Kirk used to be and the different lives of local individuals from Arniston estate and Temple.