Erskine Church, Airth

NS 8998 8749

 TIMELINE

1806   Airth Associate Congregation                  1820
Erskine Associate Congregation

1806   Airth Burgher Church                                 1820

1820   Airth United Associate Congregation      1847

1847   Airth United Presbyterian Church            1900

1900   West United Free Church                         1929

1929   South Church of Scotland                         1956

1806: New congregation formed in Airth from that of Falkirk.

Plaque re-erected 1962

Illus: The plaque re-erected in 1962

 1809:  Church built between Main Street and High Street, near the south-west edge of the village.   It was a plain oblong structure of large squared rubble with droved dressings and quoins, measuring 56 ft from north-east to south-west by 45 ft 6 in transversely.   The roof was hipped and slated.   High up in the centre of the south-east side there was a panel of quatrefoil shape enclosed within a backset moulding.  Its inscription was poorly executed in a mixture of scripts and with some letters disproportionately small.   It read:  THIS HOUSE/ WAS ERECTED/ AT THE EXPENCE OF THE/ BURGHER MEETING AT/ AIRTH A.D.1809.   At either end a square-headed entrance door, with blind windows above, opened into transverse lobbies.   The south-west one being converted into a vestry at some date; whilst the south-west one had a session house cut off its south-east end.

1900:  Combined with the Free Church in Main Street to form the United Free Church.

1909: Re-seated and stained glass windows introduced.

1929:  Union with the Established Church.   The gallery removed and the fenestration altered.

1956: Congregation dissolved on January 1st and amalgamated with that of the North Church.  The old building was demolished in 1961.   The inscription mentioned above was incorporated into the front of the new dwelling houses on Main Street.

MANSE

The manse stood adjacent to the church on the east side.

MINISTERS OF AIRTH ERSKINE CHURCH
  Sommerville, James Feb 1865

Mar 1865

 Leith, James Sep 1869

June 1870

 Rose, William Jan 1875

Nov 1875

 Leckie, Robert Feb 1897

Jan 1898

 Miller, James Hamilton Dec 1955

G.B. Bailey (2019)