The Reverend William Neve Monteith was killed at Loos on 25 September 1915. Only months before, he had married Miss Muriel Cox at Largo Parish Church. Muriel was the eldest daughter of Benjamin C. Cox, the long-term tenant of Largo House. Monteith had been Parish Minister at Elie for seven years before the outbreak of war. He was born at Glencairn in Dumfriesshire on 22nd August 1878 - the second son of Reverend John Monteith and his wife Ellen Maria Neve. William took a BA at the Magdalen College Oxford before studying Theology at Glasgow. After a spell in Argentina, he served as assistant to the Reverend Dr Ernest Playfair (1871–1951) of St Andrews, before getting his own parish in Elie in 1907. 

In early September 1914 the St Andrews Presbytery granted him leave of absence for the duration of the war, he was one of the first ministers (if not the first) to enlist as a combatant. Below from 8 September 1914 Dundee Evening Telegraph, which reported how the minister had "laid aside his cassock and gone forth to do battle for his King and country in the uniform of a soldier". He did not join the army as a chaplain but responded to the call to arms. On the day he enlisted in the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, he also proposed to Miss Cox. Letters sent between the pair after their engagement are held in Fife Archives. 
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William obtained a commission as a Lieutenant in the 6th Battalion Rifle Brigade on 22nd January 1915. Before going on active service, he married Muriel on 30th March 1915. ​The wedding was described in detail in the 1 April 1915 Leven Mail. On a gloriously sunny day, Largo Parish Church was bedecked with plants and flowers from the gardens and greenhouses of both Gilston House and Largo House. Among the display were "Great palms flanked the pulpit, which was garlanded with laurel leaves and white blossoms, while in front and from out the marble font reared stately lilies of the Nile." 
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Earlier in the day, friends and members of Elie Parish Church had gathered in their village to see off the bridegroom - flags flying from every house. Likewise villagers turned out en masse in Largo to catch a glimpse of the couple. The men of B Company, Highland Cyclist Battalion, who were stationed at Upper Largo, formed a guard of honour at the church door. After the ceremony the couple emerged through an arcade of bayonets.

Initially serving in the 6th (Reserve) battalion, William was transferred to the 2nd (Regular) after that battalion suffered heavy losses at Fromelles on the Aubers Ridge. He arrived in France at the end of May 1915. Lieutenant Monteith was killed in action on 25 September 1915 at the first day of the Battle of Loos. His brother, John, was killed in action at the same just a few days later, on 1 October. Another brother, Hugh, served with the R.A.M.C. and gained the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). William was mentioned in despatches posthumously by General Douglas Haig for his gallant and distinguished service in the field.

Take a moment to spot the differences between the two postcard images above of Largo Kirk.
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The major difference is the extension to the right of centre (beneath the spire in the image). This additional space between the chancel and the south transept was created to house a new vestry (to supersede the one at the entrance gate) and a staircase providing access to the Lundin gallery (the old internal staircase to this being removed). Note also that the windows have also been altered, to become more ornate. Wooden mullions were replaced with stone mullions and decorative stonework with an interlacing design introduced. These changes were part of much wider works to both interior and exterior in 1894-95. The older top image dates to just before these renovations and the lower image to soon afterwards. 

​The East of Fife Record piece below announced on 9 February 1894 that the "parish church here is shortly to undergo extensive alterations". The costs associated with the works would be met by Mr John Gilmour of Montrave. While the alternations took place, the congregation would meet in the Simpson Institute for morning services and the U.P. church in Lower Largo for evening services. The minister at this time was Reverend James Robert Burt.
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The 23 March 1894 East of Fife Record (above) provided details of the contractors appointed to carry out the work. Note that the mason work was carried out by a Glasgow firm, as was the joiner work. In both cases, their specialist elements would be completed in Glasgow and later transported along the Forth and Clyde Canal in lighters (barges) and then landed at Largo Pier. Some local tradesmen did get involved in the renovations as well. The slater work was done by Alexander Williamson and the plumber work by Robert Melville. 

Meanwhile, by the summer of 1894, the St Andrews Citizen reported that "a large majority of the Parish Church congregation are not attending the services in the Simpson Institute". The explanation was that they wanted to enable summer visitors to have the opportunity to attend these daytime services. Congregation members elected to attend the evening services in Lower Largo (see below). 
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Inside the Church, one of the areas most altered was the east-facing chancel. Previously, the chancel had housed the out-of-date heating apparatus, and was separated from the nave by a low round arch. Post-renovation, the entrance to the chancel was a tall, graceful Gothic arch featuring finely moulded pilasters. ​The chancel was also fitted up with choir stalls and a communion table, as seen in the photograph above captured shortly after renovations. At the east end of the chancel was a new stained glass window (shown below as it is today) which is dedicated to the service of praise. 
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Further new stained glass windows were added during the renovations, including a new rose window in memory of Sir Andrew Wood added to the north end of the Largo Gallery by representatives of the Wood family. At the same time, John Baxter of Gilston had a stained glass window installed, in memory of his wife Amy Constance Baxter (1853-1881), positioned to the right of the pulpit. 
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A new decorative open timber roof replaced the old ceiling and the fronts of the three galleries were done up in a similar intricate design. The old box-seats and high-backed pews were replaced with new pine pews with ledges and umbrella stands. A new pulpit (seen in detail below) was also created in corresponding design to the other joinery work (although this was replaced in 1965 with pulpit from the closed Newburn Parish Church). 
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The maps below show the difference in the footprint of the church before and after the alterations.
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Upon completion of the works, the re-opening of the Church was scheduled for Sunday 17 March 1895. The Parishioners were reported to be "in a state of high pleasurable excitement". On the big day "the whole parish was early astir", with many also joining from the surrounding district, according to the 23 March St Andrews Citizen. The Moderator of the General Assembly, Professor Robert Herbert Story, was in attendance. Now able to accommodate 700, every pew in the church was filled. Mr and Mrs Gilmour and their two sons were seated in the front row of the Lundin Gallery. Professor Story and Reverend Burt led the service, while the choir and organist Mr Alexander led the praise. 

The man pictured above had a leading role in the Disruption of 1843 and was for many years a high-profile figure in the Free Church of Scotland. ​Robert Smith Candlish was born in Edinburgh, the son of a medical teacher. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1823, following this with studies in divinity. In 1833, he was called to St George’s, a prominent pulpit in Edinburgh, while still in his twenties. Thereafter he established himself as a leading figure in the group who would, after the Disruption in 1843, become the Free Church of Scotland.

As a leader of the Free Church movement and a powerful orator, it was in the run up to the Disruption that Candlish made the journey from Edinburgh to Fife, to give a series of talks. He took the St George steamer to Largo - a route which ran all year round (with an additional evening run during the summer months). The notice below from the 12 October 1842 Scotsman provides details of the service.

However, on the day of Candlish's arrival in Largo, on 9 January 1843, conditions were challenging. A gale, coupled with a heavy sea and an unfavourable tide, meant that a small fllory boat had to be used to transfer passengers from the St George to Lundin Pier on the Drummochy side of the Keil Burn. The small boat had ten men in it and was backing into the small wooden jetty when a large wave swamped the small vessel and she went down. All on board, including Candlish were plunged into ten feet of cold water.
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Later, some dispute arose over precisely what role Reverend Brown played in the whole scenario. The letter below appeared in the 26 January 1843 Fifeshire Journal. This "observer" questions the extent of Brown's actions and states that it was in fact two carters (awaiting the opportunity to carry luggage) that saved Reverend Candlish, with Brown looking on calling "Will nobody save the godly man?".  Candlish recovered and was able to continue with his "tour of Church-agitation in the East Neuk" as planned, according to the 12 January Fifeshire Journal, having been "rescued from his perilious situation" from which he "speedily recovered on receiving warm appliances" and later "conveyed to the manse" in Upper Largo, his intended destination.

Candlish and Brown remained associated over their careers, and Reverend Candlish returned to Largo in 1862 to re-open the altered Largo Free Church, as the 21 August 1862 Fifeshire Journal piece below notes. This was the same year that Candlish became Principal of New College, while retaining his position as minister at St George's. As well as his pulpit ministry, he published many theological works during his lifetime. Robert Candlish died on 19 October 1873 at his home at 52 Melville Street, Edinburgh. He is buried at Old Calton Burial Ground.
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The last two posts have looked at the two ministers of the United Free Church in Upper Largo. Between the two of them, Rev. Robert Lundin Brown and Rev. William Bruce led the church across 74 years and were the only two clergymen to head up the church during its existence. The congregation was formed in 1843 as a result of the Disruption. A proportion of members of Largo Kirk struck out on their own, and finding ground to the west end of the main street, initially built a "hall of wood". The early church structure was soon replaced with something more substantial - a building which had three roofs, like the historical Tanfield Hall (the site in Edinburgh where the very first assembly of the Free Church of Scotland took place on 18 May 1843). The piece below from 21 August 1862 Fifeshire Journal reports upon the reopening of the church following alterations and repairs by Reverend Robert Candlish (a leading light in the Free Church - more of whom to follow in another post).
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The year 1879 brought a significant remodelling of the church. The building closed in May and reopened for worship in late October. The 31 October 1879 Daily Review below, provided detail of these works. The gables were raised to allow for a higher and better supported slated roof. A large window was added to the frontage (as seen in the photograph at the top of this post) and some sources suggest that the church's bell had the distinction of being the biggest in the Parish. The interior was also given an overhaul with several modern conveniences added. Much of the work was undertaken by local joiner Peter Broomfield. This time around the official re-opening was conducted by Reverend James Chalmers Burns, Moderator of the General Assembly at the time. Some two decades later, in 1899, a new organ was installed, with a liberal contribution from William Robinson Ketchen, manager of the National Bank, who was a member of the congregation.
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The death of Reverend William Bruce marked the beginning of a long vacancy, during which congregation were brought under the oversight of Reverend James Ewing of Lathones. Ewing left Lathones for Glasgow in 1923, where he worked for ten years before a further move to Dalkeith. [Ewing died in 1954 following a collapse in his vestry after a service (see 18 October 1954 Edinburgh Evening News piece below).]

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The funds and property of the congregation were left to the General Trustees of the United Free Church. A couple of months later, the 28 June 1924 Fifeshire Advertiser (above) noted that it was problematic to find an alternative use for the building. In fact the building lay empty for many years before an agreement was reached in September 1933 to sell it to David Ramage and the place was converted into a garage. The frontage was remodelled, so that the building had a less church-like appearance. It was only the rear aspect of the building which gave away its original use (and that remains the case to this day).

The Reverend William Bruce was minister of Largo United Free Church for 46 years, from 1871 until his death in 1917. The sketch of him above appeared in a biographical piece in the Dundee Evening Telegraph of 24 July 1899, at which time he was just over halfway through his time in Upper Largo. William Bruce was born in Aberdeen in 1845 to  blacksmith and chain maker William Bruce and his wife Hannah Black. The family lived close to the Aberdeen Harbour, at Links Street.

By the age of 15, William was a clerk for a ship broker, supporting his widowed mother. Around this time, in 1859, a religious revival swept across Scotland, originating in Aberdeen. This period of intense religious fervour saw a young William turn his thoughts to religion. In 1863 he gained a bursary and went to University to study classics and moral philosophy. Afterwards, he spent four years at Divinity Hall in Aberdeen studying theology, leaving there in March 1871. From there he went to the Free Church at Peterhead to assist the Reverend James Yuill.

In the summer of 1871, candidates were being heard each Sunday at the Free Church in Largo, seeking to find a successor to the then minister the Reverend Robert Lundin Brown. William Bruce preached in July and the congregational meeting that followed resolved to stop the search for candidates and give the call to Bruce. He was ordained in Largo on 16 November 1871 (see 24 November 1871 East of Fife Record below). On 28 November, William married confectioner's daughter Mary Frances Glegg in Old Machar, Aberdeen. The newlyweds settled in Upper Largo, where William was colleague to Lundin Brown for six years. Bruce took sole charge upon the death of Brown in 1877. 

William and Mary's first child, William Francis Bruce was born in 1875. He was followed by Hannah Black Bruce in 1876. Robert Glegg Bruce and Alexander Stewart Bruce in 1879, Mary Dalyell Haymes Bruce in 1881, Arthur Cromar George Black Bruce in 1884 (who died aged 7 weeks from whooping cough), George Black Bruce in 1885 (who died aged 3 from pneumonia), Helen McConnach Bruce in 1890 (who died aged 5 months from bronchitis) and Neil Bruce in 1893. It is interesting to note that at least one of the children was named after a member of the congregation of the United Free Church of Largo. Mary Dalyell Haymes was the niece of the Misses Rigg of Aithernie House and was a generous and respected member of the community. Mary was extremely active in the church, and in particular in teaching Sabbath School. Her father was a rector in the Church of England. 

At the time of the 1881 census, the Bruce family resided at Kirkton Free Church Manse on St Andrews Road (now a private home named Lyndhurst), with four children, plus a cook and a nurse. Once well-established as a minister, Bruce apparently received multiple invitations to move to another church. However, he could not be lured away from Largo. William Bruce was very popular with "untiring energy" and "zeal" and over the years, his congregation grew and its average age lowered.

The biographical piece in the Dundee Evening Telegraph in 1899 also spoke of Bruce's travels overseas. The extract below tells of time in France, Switzerland and Belgium. Also mentioned in the Telegraph was the mission hall set up in New Gilston as an offshoot of the Free Church over a number of years, with an evening service there every Sunday evening. Robert Black was a member of the Free Church and was at the time a farmer in New Gilston. This outreach mission was initially in New Gilston schoolhouse. However, when its use was withdrawn, due to opposition, another member of the Free Church - miner, John Shepherd -  built a cottage to use as a mission hall. He also supplied coals and light.

In 1896, Reverend Bruce's semi-jubilee (25 years) was celebrated. Thomas Nicoll, an elder and headmaster of Kirkton School, presented on behalf of the congregation a "handsome pulpit robe and cassock", while Miss Haymes of Aithernie presented a silver salver and silver tea and coffee service to Mrs Bruce. There were three Sunday Schools associated with the Free Church during Bruce's time - a small congregational one, one at the New Gilston mission and another at Lundin Mill with 100 scholars. Early on in his time at Largo, William Bruce also realised that it would be beneficial to have evening services in Lundin Links. Distinguished theologian Dr Robert Rainy (a summer visitor) provided invaluable assistance in setting this up for its first season. The "feeble, the aged, the young and summer visitors" were key beneficiaries of this.

By 1901, a 55-year-old William Bruce was still residing at the U.F. Manse in Upper Largo, with his wife Mary and three of their children, Hannah, Mary and Neil, as well as a general domestic servant. However, in 1906, William was widowed, when Mary died aged 60 from pneumonia. The piece below appeared in the 1 March Leven Advertiser. 
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In 1910, William remarried, to Agnes Crombie, in Rhu. The 1911 census finds William, Agnes and William's daughter Hannah (an Art Teacher), along with a servant living at the manse. By 1916, Reverend Bruce had applied to the Presbytery for a grant for 'Aged and Infirm Ministers', which also requested a grant for a colleague and successor. While a retiring allowance was awarded, a successor to William Bruce was never found. A long vacancy followed the death of William Bruce aged 71 on 25 January 1917 (which took place not long after he had a fall on icy streets). A scarcity of ministers prevented a replacement ever being found. The Free Church congregation were brought under the care of Reverend James Ewing of Lathones, until 1923 when he moved to Glasgow. Early in 1924 the Upper Largo United Free Church was dissolved.

During his decades in Upper Largo Reverend William Bruce was involved in the community in many ways. He was a member of Largo School Board, helped with the management of the Simpson Institute, was a member of Lundin Golf Club, the Bowling Club and the Curling Club. He was also an amateur horticulturalist and operated a fully equipped printing press from the manse, which saw much use for the printing of mission literature. His widow, Agnes, lived until 1947.

Robert studied at St Andrews University and was licensed by the Presbytery of Haddington in 1816. He was presented by Lt. Gen. James Durham to Largo Kirk. On 22 April 1821, according to the Largo Kirk Session minutes, "intimation was made from the pulpit of Largo Kirk by Revered Dr Thomas Laurie, minister of Newburn, that by order of the Presbytery of St Andrews a committee of their members would meet in this place on the 3rd day of May next for the purpose of moderating a call in favour of Mr Robert Brown preacher of the Gospel to be Assistant Minister in this Parish and successor to the Rev. Spence Oliphant who by infirmity is incapable of discharging that duty."

Brown was ordained on 28 June 1821. The following year, on 8 March, Spence Oliphant, who had been minister at Largo since 1777, died. Robert married Elizabeth Lundin, daughter of Christopher Lundin 9th of Auchtermairnie, in Kennoway on 15 June 1827. The notice below appeared in the 20 June 1827 Scotsman. 
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The pair went on to have the following children:

James Lundin Brown (1828-1872)
Richard Lundin Brown (1829- 1905)
Helen Lundin Brown  (1832-1880)
Robert Christopher Lundin Brown (1834-1876)
Emma Elizabeth Lundin Brown (1836-1878)
William Clephane Lundin Brown (1838-1891)
Arthur Brown (1840-1868)

​In 1837, while still known as Robert Brown, he authored the New Statistical Account for the Parish of Largo. Six years later he formed the Free Church in Largo. A site for the new church was found at the west end of Upper Largo's Main Street and a wooden structure was constructed. Later a manse was built for Brown on St Andrews Road, which is now known as Lyndhurst. In 1855, Robert adopted the Lundin, when his wife, Elizabeth inherited the Auchtermairnie Estate, upon the death of sister Euphemia. The latter's obituary from the 14 April 1855 Illustrated London News can be seen below. From then onwards he was known as Robert Lundin Brown.
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Robert Lundin Brown died on 9 Apr 1877. His widow Marie went on to remarry in 1882, to Donald Fergusson, the recently retired minister of the Free Church in Leven. The following obituary was written by the Reverend Walter Wood of Elie and published in The Free Church Monthly, June 1, 1877, p.15​:

Another of our Disruption ministers has passed away from us. Mr. Brown was descended from a long line of clerical ancestors, the last of whom was minister of Newbattle, in Mid-Lothian. He was born in 1792, ordained minister of Largo in 1821, cast in his lot with the Free Church of Scotland in 1843, and died in his eighty-fifth year, on the ninth day of April 1877. He took the name of Lundin in 1855, on the succession of his wife to the estate of Auchtermairnie. The survivors of his family, two sons and two daughters, along with his wife by a second marriage, watched by his sick-bed during the few days through which he survived a stroke of paralysis, and were much cheered by his humble yet confident hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Some memorials of his last hours have been put into our hands, but the space at our disposal will not permit us to insert them. We make room for one saying, which may cheer and strengthen those who know that a similar trial awaits them. “I have not,” he said, “the bright and luminous views I would like to have; but I am trusting on my Saviour, and I sometimes feel even more than that — I sometimes feel overpowered.”

An earlier post looked at the unification of Newburn Parish Church and Largo Parish Church. The two churches united in 1958, with the Newburn Church closing completely in January 1961. Before the church building at Newburn was converted into a private dwelling, a number of important artefacts were moved from there to Largo Parish Church at Upper Largo. One of the first things to be relocated was the Newburn Parish 1914-18 War Memorial Plaque, pictured above. In the images below, captured in 1963, the empty wall space and exposed brickwork indicates the place where this was once mounted on the church wall. This plaque is still proudly displayed within the church at Upper Largo.

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The Newburn communion silver (which included two cups dated 1772) was of course retained for use by the unified church. One of the cups can be seen in detail above (as featured in the book 'Largo Kirk' by Douglas Lister and James Gillies (1968)). A wider range of the Newburn communion silver can be seen in situ at Newburn Parish Church in the photograph below (from the book 'The Architecture of Scottish Post-Reformation Churches 1560-1843' by George Hay (1957)).
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​In fact, the installation of the Newburn pulpit at Largo was part of a wider programme of renovations at the time. This saw the communion table relocated from the east wall of the chancel to the axis of the cross, and the re-siting of the organ. The 29 September 1965 Leven Mail reported on the works and the extract below highlights the introduction of the Newburn pulpit and font. 

The previous post looked at Newburn Parish Church, which was in active use from 1815 until January 1961. The church then closed and remained empty for a few years. In 1964, the Church of Scotland decided to sell the building and the advert below appeared in the 1 April 1964 Leven Mail. Viewings were arranged through the minister of the church at Upper Largo, Reverend James S. Paterson.

As the architect firm of L.A. Rolland and Partners of Leven embarked upon the project, the key challenge was to insert an intermediate floor without spoiling the external appearance of the building from the south (as seen in the photograph at the top of this post). The two tall arched south-facing windows once flanked the pulpit. In the end the intermediate floor was set back from the glass and the two south-facing doors were glazed to internal floor level. The main entrance became through the base of the tower, which acted as a vestibule.
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The picture below, (from the Canmore Collection - http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1636717) shows the building from the north, where some reconfiguration of windows was carried out. In fact the category B listing for the building states that "North elevation symmetry lost by insertion of 1 door and window".  
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The top image and both internal photographs featured in the booklet 'New Life for Old Churches', published in 1977 by HMSO. In fact a sketch of Kirk House by Roy Worskett was used as the cover drawing for this booklet (below). 
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 Canmore Collection   http://canmore.org.uk/collection/1579039

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Now a listed building, the 1815 Newburn Church is described as follows:

Simple rectangular-plan Gothic church, with 2-stage square tower to east. Whin rubble, with yellow ashlar long and short dressings: upper stage of tower is ashlar; pointed and hood-moulded belfry opening to each face, corbelled and crenellated parapet and faceted spire. Symmetrical south elevation: glazed former doors to outer bays, low centrally placed piend-roofed projecting vestry, below 2 blind quatrefoil panels and flanked by 2 tall windows: all openings pointed-headed and hood-moulded with intersecting tracery. Piended slate roof with single central stack. North elevation: symmetry lost by insertion of 1 door and window, pointed window with intersecting tracery to each outer bay group of 4 symmetrical centre windows to ground and former gallery. Slated roof. 
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The 1815 Church replaced the Parish's earlier church (pictured above) which has a history dating back centuries. Part of the original structure was dedicated by Bishop Bernham in 1243. Newburn Old Parish Church was eventually considered too small and outdated, and fell out of use upon completion of the new building. The new church was much more commodious and was fitted out with many box pews (shown below in another image from the Canmore Collection). Upon its opening there were 180 people on the communion roll.
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The centre pews shown above had moveable divisions which were withdrawn for the celebration of the Sacrament - see photograph below from the book 'The Architecture of Scottish Post-Reformation Churches 1560-1843' by George Hay (1957). 
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The following week's Leven Mail reported on the "big turn-out" for the final service where the "pews were packed to capacity". While there would no longer be a church in Newburn Parish, the building itself would soon embark upon a new chapter and there will be more about that in the next post.
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Margaret MacDougall Nicoll was born in Largo in 1882, the second child of Kirkton schoolmaster Thomas Nicoll. and his wife Annie Morgan. The couple had five children - William (1880), Margaret (1882), Robert (1886), Mary (1888) and Annie (1892). Margaret and her siblings attended Kirkton of Largo Primary School, where their father was master for 35 years.

The above school group photograph dates to circa 1900 and features Thomas Nicoll and Mary, younger sister of Margaret. There are also some other Nicolls from another family. This photo appeared in the 25 May 1966 Fife Mail. At the time this photograph was taken Margaret would have moved on to Waid Academy in Anstruther, where she excelled in her studies and qualified for a Queen's Scholarship to study at St Andrews University (see 4 August 1899 East of Fife Record piece below). 

Margaret continued her career and by the 1921 census, she was living alone at Greycot (pictured above) on Upper Largo's Main Street, and was recorded as a 'School Teacher'. Subsequently she lived at Viewfield on South Feus (pictured in the centre of the image below) with her sister Annie (who was also a teacher) and it was there that she passed away on 10 June 1962 aged 79 years. Margaret had a long association with St David's Church in Lower Largo, and had been Treasurer there as well as honorary president of the Women's Guild. Below is the notice of her memorial service held 17 June 1962. Two years later, the recast bell of St David's Church was dedicated to her memory.