Chalmers
Family Cork
Auchterless
Parish
This is Upperthird and the
Oldwood, in Auchterless where my father grew up.
The Barclay and Esslemont Families
were connected to the places on the map
The Parish History below was
written sometime after 1903. It is not known to what extent the early part of
the history is accurate.
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Family
Names connected with parish
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Built 1779
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Ythan
burn Auchterless
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Family
Names connected with parish
Chalmers, Esslemont, Barclay, Niven, Tocher, Stephen, Geddes
Auchterless
By the Rev. Alex. A. Duncan, B.D.
Up from the north bank of
"pearly Ythan," its spire visible from most parts of the Howe, stands
the stately Church of Auchterless (Gaelic - the cultivated uplands). Under the
shadow of the new Church lie the ruins of the old. Of the pre-Reformation
Church, Time with discriminating hand has spared the ancient awmrie; and of the
edifice restored in 1780 there yet remains the western ivy-clad gable, from
which the bell still clinging to the belfry but recently ceased to call to
worship or to the new-made grave.
The history of the Church in Auchterless
before 1157 is shrouded in uncertainty, though even then it had a past of no
little consequence. In that year the Church of Ochtirles, with the pertinents,
was confirmed by Pope Adrian IV. to Edward, Bishop of Aberdeen. In the
Chartulary of St Andrews, before the year 1413, and definitely fixed as
1366, Oucbtirlys is entered in the valuation of churches and benefices, and at
a Court held at Aberdeen on January 16, 1548, the taxation of the
"Spirituall and Kirk Landis and Patrimonie" is returned for the
Kirk-toune of Auchterles as xx. shillings, the incumbent being
"Chanter of Abirdene."
It is, however, from the
"Register of Ministers and their Stipends sin the yeir of God 1567"
that the first definite information is obtained as to an incumbent of
Auchterless,-Robert Allerdas, probably one of the Auchterless family of that
name, "a Reider," with the modest stipend of £20 Scots.
The
Ministers of Auchterless from that date are as follows :-
|
1574-1580 |
John
Rechie. |
1673-1674 |
Henry
Scougal (f) |
|
1585-???? |
Gideon
Murray, A.M. (a) |
1674-1682 |
Alexander
Barclay, A.M. |
|
1595-???? |
Robert
Maitland. |
1682-1694 |
Patrick
Setone A.M. (h) |
|
161?-???? |
William
Gray. |
1697-1703 |
William
Johnston. (i) |
|
163?-1641 |
John
Forbes, A.M. |
1704-???? |
Alexander
Barclay, A.M. (k) |
|
1641-1642 |
Walter
Hempseid. |
1706-1729 |
Alexander
Ross. (1) |
|
1643-1645 |
Patrick
Urquhart. (6) |
1730-1767 |
Andrew
Gauld A.M.(m) |
|
1646-1670 |
Andrew
Massie. |
1767-1774 |
William
Stuart, A.M. (n) |
|
1655-1657 |
William
Massie. (c) |
1774-1810 |
Alexander
Rose, A.M. (o) |
|
1658-166? |
William
Gray. (d) |
1811-1862 |
George
Dingwall A.M. |
|
I670-I672 |
William
Meldrum. (e) |
1862-1892 |
Alexander
Gray D.D. (p) |
|
1898- Alexander Adams Duncan, B.D.
(q) |
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(a) Resigned: became Chamberlain to Sir Walter Scott
of Buccleuch, and founded the house of Elibank. (b) Admitted minister by the
Bishop of Clocher, in Ireland, but fled to Scotland "because of the bloody
persecution raised be the rebels." (c) Son of and
"Helper and conjoint minister" with Andrew Massie. (d) Translated to
Dunse. (e) Regent, Marischal College translated to Tranent.
(f) Translated to Professorship of
Divinity, Aberdeen. Author of "'the Life of God in the Soul of Man,"
&c., and founder of Church Guilds. (g) Translated to Peterhead. (h)
Translated from Dyce: deposed 1694. (i) Translated from Kearn. (k)
Translated from Peterhead. (l) Part of his tombstone is built
into present church tower. (m) Translated from Kinnairney. (e)
Itinerant minister at Glenlivet : translated to Turriff. (o) Translated
from Drumoak. (p) Translated from Strichen.
( q) Assistant and successor.
Auchterless had for its Tutelar Saint,
Donan, Abbot (640 A.D.). His feast was on April 17, and that of his relics on
April 18. In the "Ecclesiastical History of the Scottish Nation"
Dempster says the life of Saint Donan, in that golden age of holy men, was
pre-eminent in its blamelessness, He further relates that the Saint's staff, which
cured fever and jaundice, was broken by the reformers. Probably this staff,
invested with miraculous power, together with the reverence in which the Saint
was held, accounts for the following legend -The site of the Auchterless Church
was chosen on the Kirkhill, an eminence on the southern border of the present
parish, and building operations were begun; but whatever was built during the
day was ruthlessly and malignantly destroyed by night The crux was removed and
the difficulty overcome by a unanimous decision to consult the Saint.
Accordingly his staff was committed to
the Ythan that its destination might reveal the site of the church. This it
accomplished by stranding high and dry on the river bank opposite the present
Kirktown. Notwithstanding the mists of legendary lore that envelop the
personality of this wonderful Saint, there is still left behind
a living impression of a man of God, his
spirit kindled at the lamp of Iona, carrying the Light of Truth Eternal to a
people who knew no god but the Baal of Druid priests and no worship save that
of the circle and altar of stone.
That Auchterless was given to the worship
of the Druids is evident from the number of Druidic remains. While these are to
be found in several parts of the parish, the most remarkable are the stones on
Kirkhill, where three concentric circles were traced, the stones being large
and white In the "Statistical Account of Scotland," 1794, it
is remarked--" Superstition still spares them, though stones are so
scarce."
In more ways than one Saint Donan has
left the impress of his influence even on modern Auchterless. Two wells were
named after him, one on Mains of Hatton, the other at Moat. These derived their
names no doubt from a still more important perpetuation of his memory-Donan Fair,-which
superseded in course of time the original religious festival, and was held
first on Mains of Hatton, and afterwards at Moat. Near the church an
oval-shaped eminence is still traceable. This is the Moat-head, at one time the
seat of the baronial court. (a) The Gallowhill is now identified with Hill of
Hatton.
Still more closely connected with the
history of Auchterless Church is the Chapel of Seggat, supposed to be dedicated
along with the well near by to the Blessed Virgin Mary. Beside the well and the
ruins of a place of worship in which James IV. told his beads in 1504 there
are traces of a burial-ground where several families of distinction were
interred. The Presbytery records of 1649 reveal the prevalence of superstitious
customs, in particular the frequenting of the Well of Seggat, the water of
which was believed to have curative and supernatural powers. The Presbytery of
Turriff, by instructions from the Commission of the General Assembly (I
649), visited the Kirk of Auchterless to demolish the chapell, altar, and
well," and ordained "that a karne of stones be put upon the Well of
Seggat." Though this was carried out by Mr Andrew Massie, minister, the
well was emptied by some "evill affected persones." A larger
"karne of stones" had no better effect, nor had further efforts,
repeated until the year 1653, when, the elders having already refused "to
waire anie more paines" in the matter, the minister, baffled and
despairing, intimated to the Presbytery "that he had done all that can be
done for the tyme," and by common consent the subject was allowed to drop.
Even in the beginning of last century the practice of visiting the well still
survived, the spell used, after depositing money or other gifts to the Saint,
being in these words
Chapel
well and Chapel water,
Drink it
and ye'll get better.
The Kirk-Session records: begin in
October 1706. From traces of fire on the first pages it is supposed that previous
records have been accidentally burned. The recurrence of a like disaster was in
1901 provided against by the purchase of a fireproof safe. The
appearance of the ruins of the former Church itself is evidence that no
completely new edifice has been erected since the Reformation, until 1879, when
the present handsome Church was opened, December 4, having been built at a cost
of nearly £4500, with seating accommodation for 795 worshippers. The number of
Communicants on the Roll at present is 752.
The present Manse (before excambion of
glebe, 1866) was built in 1863-4, at a cost of £1500, and the offices, which
had become very dilapidated, were substantially rebuilt in 1900. The
Church - fitting monument of the generosity of the heritors-was completed in
1895, when the tower was built by the family of the late Mr Watson of
Blackford, in memory of their father, mother, and sister. In the tower hangs a
very fine bell, weighing 22 cwts. 14 lbs. The beauty of the tower has since
been very much enhanced by the addition of a three-dial clock, the gift of
James Allan, Esq. of Templand. The clock was set agoing on April 10, 1903, and
the hours are struck on the bell already mentioned.
Although instrumental music was not
introduced until 1882 by the gift of a small organ from Mrs Watson of
Blackford, an organ chamber was built in the new Church of 1879. The efforts of
the ladies of the congregation, by a bazaar, have recently been so successful,
that the sum required for a pipe organ, viz. £300, is practically in hand.
Previously unused for winter evening
services, the Church was, in December 1898, lighted by a set of handsome lamps,
bought with proceeds of a sale of work, and in the following year a
pulpit-screen was gifted by the heritors, at the instance of the generous Laird
of Hatton.
In the vestibule of the Church are
wall-tablets in memory of Garden William Duff (d. Sept. 17, 1866);
George Dingwall, minister, born at Smallburn, died in the actual discharge of
his pastoral duties" (1862); and Emma, wife of George Barclay, M.D. Within
the Church are other tablets in memory of Clementina Louisa Duff (d. March 16,
1883); Sterritt Duff Watson (d. June 15, 1897); and John Wallace, M.A., M.D.
(d. July 16, 1879).
Behind the Church (which is heated by
hot-water circulation), and communicating with the Vestry, there is a spacious
Session-House, with the usual furniture, also a reading-desk and piano. Here
are ranged the presses containing the books of the Parish and Sunday School
Libraries, endowed by the late Rev. George Dingwall, A.M. The Parish Library
comprises about 1000 volumes, and is well patronised. The other bequests
or trust funds under Kirk-Session control are from the Burnett and Chalmers
Mortifications. In addition to the Library endowments, Mr Dingwall bequeathed
£100 to the poor; and in 1902 a similar sum was bequeathed for the same
purpose by the late Mr Ross Hunter, Badenscoth.
Church Vessels The congregation has
reason to be proud of its Communion vessels of solid silver presented by
"Jean, Mrs Duff of Hatton," in 1863, and consisting of four cups and
two large flagons with stands. In addition to these the Kirk Session purchased,
at the opening of the present church, four patens or bread plates and two cups
to match those already presented. In an inventory of congregational property
made in 1748, there are mentioned two silver cups bought by the heritors and
the parish, two large tin patens and one tin basin for baptism. Two other
pewter cups bear the letters A. R. (Alexander Rose), and the date 1784. All
these are still in existence except one of the silver cups which, since 1784,
has disappeared.
The Kirk-Session registers, though
limited in range, are not wanting in historical significance. It is true the
Disruption of 1843 leaves no trace behind ; it was not epoch - making in
Auchterless. The omission of the eleven days after September 2, 1752, the
earthquake of August 13, 1816, and many other events of more than local
import are carefully recorded, but the most significant historical allusion is
that which points to the march of the Duke of Cumberland through Auchterless in
1746, when a sick soldier, left at Seggat, was granted twelve shillings from
the Kirk-Session funds.
From the many pages of these silent
witnesses, left as a heritage to succeeding generations, it is gratifying to
know that the Church and its affairs bulked largely in the life of Auchterless,
social and individual. May it continue thus! May its vitality increase! And
even as Auchterless, with no village centre, no new industry, still maintains
the Gaelic significance of its name, so may Its spiritual life become more and
more the cultivated uplands of the field of God.
(a) On June 20th, 1650, the Kirk Session chose as Parish
Magistrates James Meldrum of Hatoun and Patrick Gordon of Badinscoth.
Present Office-Bearers are :-
Elders -Messrs James Allan of Templand;
Wm.Wallace, Chapel of Seggat (1869); Garden A. Duff of Hatton ; James Stephen,
Redhill (1883); James Anderson, Cowley; John Gray, Bogs, Gordonstown; John
Hunter, Seggat; George Peter, Lenshie; James Weir, Moat ; Alex. Wilson,
Pitglassie (1894).
The Session Clerk: is Mr Adam Loogmore,
M.A., Schoolhouse;
The Precentor: Mr JoIm Cheyne, Kirktown;
and
The Church Officer: Mr John Mackie,
Balmuir Cottage.
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