Avonbridge Associate Burger Church

NS 9104 7298

1803	Avonbridge Associate Burgher Church	1820
1820	Avonbridge United Associate Congregation
	Avonbridge United Secession Church	1847
1847	Avonbridge United Presbyterian Church	1900
1900	Avonbridge United Free Church	1929
1929	Avonbridge Church of Scotland	Present

Although actually located in the old parish of Muiravonside this is included here with the other congregation of Avonbridge.

TIMELINE

1803: Avonbridge congregation join the Associate Burgher Synod.   Meetings held in a barn and then a tent placed in a little yard east of Wester Strath farm.  A building was erected the following year at the junction of the Falkirk and Standburn.

1815: Galleries erected to bring the seating capacity to 308.

1889: On 11th September 1899 the foundation stone of a new church building was laid on the site of the old church which had been demolished.   The church was opened in March 1890.  It is Gothic in style, designed by Messrs A and W Black, Falkirk and built by Robert Drysdale, mason, Bo’ness.  It measures 68ft by 31ft, with the west gable fronting the Falkirk Road.  This gable is crowned by a belfry and pierced by a circular window and two double-light windows.   This is complimented by placing an entrance porch on the west end of the south wall.  Both side walls have high pointed windows.   From the vestibule, which contains a  memorial  tablet  commemorating the first two ministers taken from  the  old church,  there are two doors leading to the area of the nave while others  lead to the gallery at the west end.  There is a commodious choir platform and three rows of pews.

To the east of the church a hall was built at the same time, sufficient to accommodate 75 people and the minister’s vestry and conveniences.   The total cost was c£1,500.

Missions   were launched at Crossroads (1889) and Standburn   (1890-1972, transferred to Presbytery 1900-1906, later to Muiravonside).

1970: Ministry linked with Torphichen.

MANSE

1805: Built on Blackston Road, date stone on chimney stack.

1867: Manse repaired.

1909: New manse built at Strathview (NS 909 731).

1970: Manse sold when link with Torphichen made it surplus to requirements.

FITTINGS

1889: Pulpit of stained yellow pine.  John Baird presented the communion plate.

BELL

1889: Gifted by the Sabbath school scholars.

WINDOWS

1889: Fitted with tinted cathedral glass by O’ May.

SEATING

1889: Seat 200 plus 60 in the gallery.

CHURCHYARD

None.

MINISTERS OF AVONBRIDGE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND

Nov 1804	Craig, John
1803	Brown, John
	Dodds, Andrew
Oct 1876	McMillan, Hugh Logan	May 1883
Sep 1883	Robertson, John Lindsay	Apr 1894
Oct 1894	Rouse, James Bannatyne Glass	Jan 1904
Aug 1904	Garvie, James Beatson	Mar 1922
Jun 1922	Linkie, Thomas Muir	Feb 1927
May 1927	Gray, William
Dec 1970	Crichton, Thomas

Geoff B. Bailey (2016)