Kirk O' Shotts (Church)

The parish of Shotts bulks large in covenanting history. The Rev. John Livingstone, after Communion on 21st June 1630 preached a sermon on the Monday in the churchyard Which kindled the flame of revival that spread over a large part of Scotland-a flame which even the persecutions of the next generation did not extinguish. But it was a superstitious age, and not many years after the revival we find the kirk-session of Shotts
dealing with a number of witches. Indeed, in 1683, thirty men met between the Kirk of Shotts and Cambusnethen, who had forsaken the ordinances of God, and there did debate the authority of Scripture, and thereafter played at football with them [the witches], and after that burned them; this was verified by two ministers, Mr William Violent and Mr John Oliphant, who had certain information of it.

In 1650 Cromwell marched through Shotts with all his “Horses and fute, by the Muir-way and the Kirk of Shotts, whare they had much difficulty to carey their cannoun and guns.’’ Not long after this the Great Protector used these words in his indictment of the Covenanting ministers before Dunbar; “I beseech you in the bowels of Christ think it possible that you may be mistaken.’’ Many of Shotts people were stout Covenanters, and
some of them took part in the Pentland Rising, in the affair of Drumclog, and in the battle
of Bothwell Brig. The churchyard has its inevitable Martyr’s Stone. It stands upright, and
on one side bears the following inscription;