Gladsmuir Parish Church and village

Gladsmuir Parish Church, scene of today's christening - some notes.
The original church was built in 1695, and eventually having fallen into disrepair was replaced by a new church in 18939, which was damaged by fire in 1886 and subsequently repaired and renovated over the years.
Inside the church are two beautiful stained glass windows which were gifted to the church by the Ainslie family in memory of Col. James Ainslie who died on 9th April 1876 aged 46 while a serving officer with the 1st Royal Dragoons. I believe that the two banners hanging beside the windows were also donated by the family and may well be Regimental banners.

The old schoolhouse in Gladsmuir village was at one time the centre of a massive thunder storm with a thunder bold striking the school which was demolished with the pupils inside. Two were killed in the event and the majority of the remainder were found stunned under their desks amid the rubble.
There was also a small colliery in the village, but the coal seam was only three feet high which made extraction a hard and slow job. In one document, following an official visit by a local Inspector to the village it was written that the locals would benefit by a change in the licensing laws to allow them to drink ale which would be better for their health than whisky and other spirits !! Now they do not even have a pub!!