According to the legendary history of the Blessed Virgin Triduan,
Lestalrig or Restalrig, a village to the east of Edinburgh, might claim
a very great antiquity. Triduan is said to have died at Restalrig in the
year 510.
A church can be traced here as early as the twelfth century, and it
afterwards became the parish church of Leith. This edifice is frequently
mentioned in connection with gifts bestowed upon it. The church of
Restalrig was erected into a Collegiate establishment by James III., and
was rebuilt by him, as stated in the Papal Bull of 1487. James IV. was
also a benefactor to the foundation, and endowed an additional chaplain
in 1512, and twelve years later another rectory was annexed to the
church by James V.
The edifice has unfortunately been almost entirely destroyed. In 1560 it
was resolved “that the Kirk of Restalrig, as a monument of Idolatrie be
[Illustration: FIG. 1424.--Restalrig Collegiate Church. Plan of Chapter
House.]
[Illustration: FIG. 1425.--Restalrig Collegiate Church. Section.]
raysit and utterlie caste downe and destroyed.” This was apparently
done, as it is recorded that the ashlar work from the church was used by
a
[Illustration: FIG. 1426.--Restalrig Collegiate Church.