1886-87.] and Other Antiquities. 37 



prebendaries, a paroche priest, and a vicar. Bot sen reforma- 

 tioun it is a laik patronage, according to the new erectionn, 

 quhais patron is the Laird of Ormiston." ^ The only entrance 

 to this old parish church was through the laird's garden-gate ; 

 and as this was felt to be rather inconvenient for all parties, 

 another church was erected on a different site in 1696, which 

 in turn gave place to the present edifice. 



Surrounding the old church, from pre-Eeformation times, 

 was the ancient churchyard, both situated a little to the west 

 of the mansion-house of Ormiston Hall ; and probably in or 

 near this churchyard stood originally the venerable tree now 

 known far and wide as " the Ormiston '^q^T The age of 

 this tree is unknown, though there is evidence to prove that 

 it was of considerable size in 1474, when a lease of a piece of 

 ground, granted by the superior of the religious house in the 

 village, was signed beneath it. The uniform tradition is that 

 Wishart occasionally preached under its branches to con- 

 gregations composed of the Ormiston family with their friends 

 and retainers ; and there is every reason to believe the accuracy 

 of the report. Strange to think that we now look upon, not a 

 crumbling ruin, but a living object which has existed all 

 through these centuries, from the beginning almost of authentic 

 history in our own country, and yet lives and thrives, green 

 and flourishing. How many generations of men have passed 

 away during its existence ; and how many stirring events, 

 ecclesiastical and civil, have taken place ! And it may con- 

 tinue to grow for as many centuries still, so far as any one 

 can predict. The tree is very graceful and well-proportioned ; 

 and standing in the midst of a clear space, as it now does, it is 

 seen to the full advantage. It has frequently been measured 

 by visitors and others, amongst the more recent of these 

 measurements being one carefully made by the late Professor 

 Balfour and Mr Isaac Anderson Henry, in August 1879. Mr 

 John Hamilton, forester at Ormiston Hall, kindly measured 

 the tree, by request, on the 6th of December last, and wrote as 

 follows : " Its circumference, at 3 ft. 9 in. from the ground 

 (where the branches begin to spring), is 16 ft. 2 in. The 

 outside circumference, where the branches lie on the ground, 

 is 227 ft.; and the inner circumference, 147 ft. I am sorry 

 ' ' Reports on the State of Certain Parishes in Scotland, 1627,' p. 125. 



