Torphichen

Standing high away from the main road is a fine church once belonging to the Order of Hospitallers or Knights of St John of Jerusalem.
A meeting of the Order, the first in 400 years was held here in 1947.

The structure looks more like a castle than a church, with the upper storeys of the tower with its saddleback roof.

A 17th century parish church has been built over the former nave of the original Norman church built for the Knights Templar, the chancel has survived.
There are 13th century transepts while the crossing, tower and upper storeys are 15th century.
There is a sanctuary stone in the churchyard.

Torphichen Mill was the birthplace of Henry Bell in 1767 the designer of the ‘Comet’ the first of the steamboats.

To the southeast rise the Bathgate hills, the highest point being The Knock at 1,017ft.

Bridge castle, 2 miles southwest standing on a rocky eminence dates mainly from the 16th and 17th century.

To the east is Cairnapple Hill a Neolithic sanctuary remodelled in the Bronze Age.