THE CHURCHES IN STRATHKINNESS

It might seem that a history of the churches in Strathkinness would be

of interest only to ecclesiastical historians, but that is far from being the case.

Because Strathkinness was part of the Parish of St. Andrews and St.

Leonards until 1860 all parish references to Strathkinness are to be found in

the St. Andrews Kirk Session and Presbytery records.

St. Andrews Presbytery records show that as early as 1697 a few people

in the Strathkinness area wished to have a separate church, but as this was

opposed by another group the Presbytery did not grant permission.

In 1799 a Relief Preaching Station (‘Relief’ meaning relief to ‘Christians

oppressed in their church privileges’ by having ministers imposed upon them

against their will) was established somewhere in Strathkinness. A Relief

Church was built in 1801, at a cost of about £180, on the site at 52 Main

Street (the building later used by Thom as a joiner’s shop and later used by

Danskins Transport) and which is now a part of Sir James and Lady McPetrie’s

garden.

The first minister in Strathkinness was the Rev. George Buchanan who left

to go to Upper Canada (Ontario) because the congregation could not pay him

his stipend. Nor could they afford to pay the next minister, the Rev. William

Boag. The church was advised to increase the seat rents, but they did not do

so. It is doubtful, in view of later churches’ attempts to raise seat rents, that

the congregation would have reacted favourably, and as ‘door collections in

those days....were of little account’ there was not sufficient money to pay the

minister.

After the demise of the Relief Church in Strathkinness the building which

they had built was taken over by a small group of Methodists in 1816, They

paid £86 for the building which had one quarter acre of ground annexed to it.

The ‘chapel’ was described as ‘forty-seven feet by thirty-three tolerably well-

seated: The Methodists did not stay long in Strathkinness as they had little

local support, the main support coming from St. Andrews where there were

a few Methodists.

For several years, after the Methodists left, the building lay unused until

it was again taken over by a group of Seceders in 1823 when they bought the

building for £90. This group of Seceders (Original Burghers) was one of the

factions of the group which had seceded from the Established Church as early

as 1733. It was not until 1827 that the Rev. Ralph Robb was appointed

minister of the Secession Church in Strathkinness. He was given a ‘stipend

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