Lochwinnoch Calder United Free Church

(The Burgher’s Kirk)

In 1733 a considerable number of people resident in the parishes of Kilmalcolm, Port-Glasgow, Paisley, Lochwinnoch, and other places, left the National Church, and formed themselves into a congregation of Seceders. They met at the farmhouse of ‘The Killochries” in the parish of Kilmalcolm. The congregation increased, and in the year 1738 the people applied to the Associate Presbytery requesting formal recognition of the congregation as a church under their authority. The first sermon as a formally recognised session congregation in the West of Scotland was on 27^th August 1738.

The congregation was drawn from about 18 parishes and a decision was taken to build a church at Burntshields in Kilbarchan considered a central location. It was built in 1745, and opened for public worship early in 1746. Their first minister was the Rev. John M‘Cara who retired in 1767.

The second minister was the Rev. John Lindsay and the old Secession meeting house was now too small for the congregation. At a meeting of the congregation on 11^th Oct 1791 it was decided the congregation should divide  into three branches. One would remain at Burntshields, another would begin a new congregation at Lochwinnoch, and a third at Johnstone.

The Church in Lochwinnoch was build in 1792, the mason was Mr. Connell from Beith and the joiner work went to a Mr. Haining of Paisley. The site of the church was feued from William M‘Dowall, Esq. of Garthland and Castle Semple, for £2 2s. 6d. yearly or 6d per fall. Mr. M‘Dowall built two storeys of the steeple, but it remained unfinished till 1815. John Harvey was now the owner of Castle Semple and he donated £50 in order to finish the steeple in its present form as a tower. In 1798 octagonal galleries were added and in 1814 the interior walls were plastered. In 1866 the interior of the church underwent significant renovation improving both the appearance and comfort of the building.  Two front entrances were blocked off, a new gallery built, new windows fitted, new timber floor with easy gradient laid and new pulpit and pews installed. In 1892 an American organ was purchased and was first used on the first Sabath of 1893. On Friday 13^th 1895 in the Ardrossan and Saltcoats Herald the following advert was placed for an organist.

The drawings below show the significant changes to the layout of the church between 1792 and 1988. Note that the interior re-orientated 180 degrees during that time.

In 1899 a Grand Floral Bazaar was held over the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of November in Paisley Town Hall to raise £1000 to cover the cost of renovation work carried out over 4 months in the summer. The work required the Church to be closed during which time the congregation worshiped in the Court Hall. An article in the Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald Friday 22^nd September described the work thus:-

“The church has been undergoing much needed reformation at the hands of masons, joiners, plumbers, and upholsterers. Indeed, l am informed that the members will receive a pleasant surprise on Sabbath, when they see the great improvements which have been made for their comfort. The interior of the church has been beautifully painted and decorated, new windows of a modern type have taken the place of the old, the chancel has been altered, additional seats have been placed upstairs, the pulpit, front of gallery, and several of the back seats, both upstairs and downstairs have been upholstered, all the seats of the church have been cushioned, and the passages and inner lobby have been laid with linoleum. The outer lobby has been paved with tiles and otherwise improved, while from the gateway to the door there is a wide pathway laid with granolithic, and overhanging the door is a handsome lamp which will light up the whole entrance to the church. A great change has also been made at the gate. Part of the high wall has been taken down, and an iron railing is to be erected. When this part of the undertaking is completed, visitors to the village will have no difficulty in locating the three churches. The U.P. Church has too long imprisoned itself behind high walls. Now it has emerged from its seclusion and taken a recognised place as one of the healthiest and most vigorous congregations in the parish. I may add that one of the objects of the bazaar to be held in November is to meet the expenses incurred in carrying out these alterations. I understand that Mr Joseph Johnstone has generously gifted a communion table, collection plates, and three chairs to Lochwinnoch Church.”

A photograph of the work carried out to the wall can be seen in the “Exterior Gallery”!!! It was thought the Church hall was built at this stage but the article above makes no reference to this. I'd have thought such an important addition would have been explicitly mentioned. However, a shorter article talks about "increasing hall accommodation" and at the Bazaar a speaker makes reference to "how important it is to have a church hall". By implication this is indeed when the hall was built. Electricity was installed in 1930. The church had been built to contain about 700 sittings, but in the beginning, it was never fully seated with only about 200 being taken.

The first sermon was in July 1791 before the church was completed. The seats were first let in January, 1793. In its first year £216 28s was raised by 28 members. In 1806 a further subscription of £84 16s 6d was raised from 46 members in order to pay off the debts.

When the church was erected, there were no walls enclosing the property. It was built on open ground with the New Mill tail lade running passed the church on its way to the loch. There was no manse or garden, no houses nearby and Harvey Square was a field. The Parish School was then at the lower end of Factory Close, and the ground between that and the Parish Kirk was also grass fields with no road through them.

The congregation at the Burgher Kirk called four times before they obtained a settled minister. The first call was for the Rev. Mr. Easton, but the Synod sent him to London. A photograph of the original Call for Alex Easton can be seen in the Bi-Centennial section of the gallery. Second was for the Rev. Mr. Lothian, but he was sent to Port-Glasgow. Third was for the Rev. Mr. Belfrage but he went to Falkirk.

And lastly the Rev. Wm. Shaw, a young man from Falkirk, accepted the call and was ordained at Lochwinnoch on 26^th August, 1795. His stipend was £80 sterling. Rev. Shaw remained for only six years. The original communion tokens bore his initials (see opposite).

The second minister over the Lochwinnoch Burgher congregation was the Rev. James Robson. He belonged to Kelso and was ordained at Lochwinnoch on 21^st  April, 1803. His stipend was also £80 a year. He resigned 28^th  March 1809 and emigrated to America in 1811 and became minister of a congregation in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

After Mr. Robson’s departure a long protracted vacancy of 15 years began. It finally came to an end on the 8^th calling by the ordination of the Rev. John Shoolbraid in November, 1824. That ministry lasted about seventeen years with Mr. Shoolbraid resigning on 12^th October 1841 due to failing health. While at Lochwinnoch he married a Miss Forsythe who was the daughter of a respectable merchant in Elgin. After resigning his charge he retired with his family to Elgin.

It was for him that the present Lochwinnoch U.P. manse beside the church was erected in 1824. It cost £400 and had an outstanding debt of £265. A subscription in 1824 raised the sum of £184, Mr. James Clark of Burnfoot, an elder, gave a donation of £50 and Mr Robtert Ritchie, a member, added another £50 towards reducing the debt and for building a boundary wall.

The next minister of the congregation was the Rev. James Monteith from Penicuik. He was ordained on the 26^th of April 1843 and was minister of the church for thirty-four and a half years till 1877. He was succeeded by the Rev. B Gray who was called to New Zealand in 1900 and was succeeded by Rev. David Gill Young in 1901.

The Rev John Taylor was minister from 1908 to 1921. When he left, the Presbytery of the United Free Church recommended that the Calder congregation unite with the West Church. In 1900 the United Presbyterian (Calder Church) and the Free Church (West Church) came together to form the United Free Church. Only three members of the Calder congregation voted for this. The United Free Presbytery tried to force this matter by refusing to allow the Calder congregation to “Call a Minister”. It relented on condition the appointment terminate when the West Church became vacant. Having the Calder minister controlled by the West Church did not go down well with the Calder office bearers. In the end Rev. J H Clyde was called for a period of no more than 3 years. He stayed for 5 years and was replaced by Rev. J Izatt Johnstone in December 1927.

From 1909 discussions had been ongoing about the United Free Church uniting with the Church of Scotland. By 1929 all issues were resolved and at a national level union took place. At a local level things did not go so smoothly. In Lochwinnoch both the West Church and Parish church voted for the union.  However, the congregation of the Calder Church voted 159 against, 18 in favour with 14 abstentions. They became part of the United Free Church (Continuing) and the minister, Rev J Izatt Johnstone, who was in favour of union resigned. The vote for union in the West Church was split with a majority in favour. So it is no surprise to note that some members of that congregation moved to the Calder Church.

Early the following year Rev. James Candlin was inducted. Rev. Candlin only stayed for a year and was succeeded by Rev. John Barr who was minister from 1931 till 1939. The congregation could not afford to call a minister but the Rev Robert Brackenridge was appointed on a temporary basis in 1940. His appointment was made permanent in 1943 and he stayed till 1960. During this time the congregation was a healthy 400 souls.

Rev. Alexander Peacock took charge of the congregation from 1961 till 1968.

The Rev. Henry Dobell was minister from 1969 till 1986. He served in Burma during the war and this instilled in him a desire to serve and help others. He took a correspondence course to begin studies for full time Ministry. In 1963 after two years at Edinburgh University and three years at Hope Terrace Divinity College he was licenced at Dunfermline United Free Church and ordained as full time minister at Clydebank United Free Church. After six years he moved to Lochwinnoch. During his tenure he was also chaplain at St. Joseph’s nursing home. Rev. Dobell retired to Dunfermline where he started his ministry and died there on 29^th October 1993.

Like the Parish Church the Calder Church had its financial problems during the 1980’s. It too suffered from a falling congregation and in 1986 it had dropped to 174. Sadly the next minister, Rev. George M Graham, died suddenly in 1988.

The Rev. Archie Ford was called to Lochwinnoch in October 1988 and retired to Troon with his wife Fiona in October 2020. Archie is a son of Glasgow gaining a BSc in Agricultural Botany from its University. After Bible Training he served the United Congregational Church of South Africa in Botswana along with Fiona for 10 years. He completed a Dip Theo at the University of South Africa in 1987 and was called to the “Wee Church” in 1988.

Rev Ford arrived at an auspicious time, the church (or at least the building) was approaching its 200^th birthday having been built in 1792. A copy of the first Call for a minister at that time can be viewed in the gallery. There is also a copy of the covenant signed by 186 members of the congregation undertaking the following affirmation:-

“We the undersigned being the congregation of Calder United Free Church on this 6^th day of October 1991 undertake by covenant to continue to serve our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by proclaiming His Gospel and Praising His name in this place of worship.”

Also in the gallery are photographs of the tapestries created by 8 ladies of the congregation coordinated by Ann Macrae. One focuses on the birth, Baptism, crucifixion, resurrection and ascension of Jesus. The other has the dove which was the symbol of the United Presbyterian Church and the burning bush the symbol of the Free Church. The union of these two churches formed the United Free Church of Scotland in 1900. The other two panels are the Great Commission and  200 years of worshipping God.

              The Great Commission

¹⁴ Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. ¹⁵ And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. ¹⁶ He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.

A number of formal photographs were taken of preachers who attended the celebration as well as ones of the office bearers at the time. These are also in the gallery and my thanks to Archie for naming everyone. Wallace Jones was the photographer.

If you have read all the articles in this section you may be left feeling the church has lost its meaning to people, the fall in attendance being testament to that. During Archie’s time the congregation continued to fall but the Church managed to maintain a weekly attendance of 70 or more. On top of that it sustained all its financial commitments, supported mission work at home and abroad and gave pastoral support within the congregation and the community. Proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ is central and so there was, and is, an emphasis on Christian education.

The annual Remembrance Service was reinstated at the Memorial, a Walk of Faith around the churches began at the Millenium and ran for many years. A Lenten Bible Study was held for a time and all three congregations participated in a Passion Play enacting the story of Good Friday and Easter Sunday around the village. There is also an early morning service at the loch side on Easter Sunday morning, not forgetting a Chaplaincy to Lochwinnoch Primary School provided by the ministers from the village churches.

The warmth of fellowship within the whole Christian community in Lochwinnoch was greatly appreciated by Archie. In his own words:-

“The members of all three congregations worked together in various ways over the years. I enjoyed working with Revs Roderick McLeod, Tom O’Leary, Robin Allison, and Christine Murdoch during their time in Lochwinnoch Parish Church as well as Revs Mhairi Bringen, Mary Jane Bird and May Bell. This was also true of the Priests who served Our Lady of Fatima – especially Canon Sean Cunney, Father Balmer and Father Dennis.”

Youth work has been a significant feature of Church life over the years. Calder Church and Lochwinnoch Parish Church provided officers for the Girls’ Brigade and Boys’ Brigade. Generations of young people have attended and continue to attend these Christian youth organisations. The congregations also provided creche and Sunday Schools and Calder Church has a teen group called the ABCs.

Churches in Lochwinnoch, and elsewhere, have faced challenging times over the centuries. However, all three congregations have been blessed by so many faithful servants of God some of which you have read about in these articles.  It is interesting to note that there has been a recent upturn in interest in Spiritual matters and congregations are reporting encouraging signs as people come along to church with a desire to know more about Jesus Christ and the Bible. In these days of social media where you have hundreds of “friends” but are still lonely, where hate speech and conspiracy theories abound which are designed to enrage and anger, the Good News of the Bible and the coming together it engenders is more needed than ever it was.

And the last word is from Archie to the community:-

“As a family we enjoyed life and ministry in the village. We arrived with 4 children and were blessed with the addition of Alison a few years later. It was nice to be part of the community.”

A long and happy retirement Archie, to you and your family from me on behalf of all in Lochwinnoch.

The torch has now been passed to Rev Paton who was called to Lochwinnoch in July 2022. Just as I am looking forward to the next chapter of the Parish Church in the hands of LCDT an update on the “Wee Church” will follow in due course.