VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
  • Blog

Largo Relief Church

15/10/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture

Lower Largo of the 18th century would have looked quite different to present day village. The painting above gives a good impression of the thatched and pantiled buildings, of various shapes and sizes, constructed from local stone and crowded into the available space. In the background of this view, the former Largo Relief Church would have stood. This was the church that preceded the 1871 former church building on Main Street.

The origins of the Largo Relief Church date back to a vacancy at Largo Kirk in Upper Largo in 1768 which led to the controversial appointment of Reverend David Burn. The portion of the congregation that were strongly opposed to this choice protested by leaving the church. These folk initially met in the open air to worship as an independent group but in 1770 they applied for (and were granted) pulpit supply from the Relief Church of Edinburgh. Soon afterwards, the newly formed congregation were given land from Mr Durham of Largo House upon which to erect a Church. Work soon began on the church building marked 'U.P. Church' on the 1866 map below.

Picture

This church would have been a simple rectangular structure, with entrance porch and internal balcony. The reminiscence below (which appeared in the 18 November 1884 Dundee Courier) tells of how the construction of the church was very much a community affair. Materials for the building were gathered from the beach by men, women and children, to supplement the mason's supplies. The total cost came to a modest £18 4s.

Picture
Picture

The building of the church was swiftly followed by the construction of a manse for the minister, the Reverend Robert Paterson, which still stands at 23 Main Street (pictured above). This would have originally had a thatched roof. A forestair to the rear provided access to the upper floor. For a long time this would have been one of the highest status dwellings in the village. 

The previous post about Largo St David's Church mentioned how, at the time when the old Relief Church building was dismantled, the remains of a former minister had to be removed from the site. This referred to the third minister of Largo Relief Church, James Gardiner, who held the position for 38 years, from 1805 until his death in 1843. He succeeded Rev. James Stuart who died in 1803.

James Gardiner was born around 1782 in Stirlingshire. The year after arriving in Largo, he married Dysart-born Elizabeth Ramsay. The record of their marriage is shown below. Their first child, Catherine, was born in 1807, followed by Robert (1809), Janet (1811), Isabella (1813) and James (1816). At the time of the 1841 census (the only one in which James appears), James is described as a clergyman, living with wife, Elizabeth and two daughters, Catherine and Isabella. Janet had died in 1828 aged 17. 
​
Picture
Picture

During his 38 years as minister Reverend Gardiner would have witnessed many events among his congregation - births, deaths and marriages. He would have presided over many special occasions, including the example above of a soiree held in the church (or 'meeting house') in 1838. As he aged, an assistant and successor was sought and from 1840-41 Rev. Gardiner had a co-minister - Rev. James Hamilton. However, this succession plan did not work out and Hamilton left Largo. Gardiner remained in post until his death at the Relief Manse on 28 February 1843. At his request, he was laid to rest within the church that had been so central to his existence for most of his lifetime. A tribute to him was recorded in the Session Minutes - remarking on his faithful and devoted service:

"He preached, as he felt, he lived as he preached, and he died as he lived in the firm and blessed hope of a glorious resurrection."

Gardiner was followed by Reverend Bryce Kerr who was ordained one month after the death of Gardiner. However, he died only eight months later, at the young age of 27 years (on 25 November 1843). Throughout the 1840s, there had been much discussion around the proposed union between the Relief Church and the United Secession Church. This came to pass in 1847, when the United Presbyterian Church was formed and the church at Lower Largo took on that name. 
​
Picture

In 1852, the now U.P. Church underwent refurbishment, as the 6 May Fifeshire Journal reported. The building was 80 years old by this point and in spite of these "considerable repairs", including the installation of new iron pillars to support the balcony, the church's days were numbered. Two decades after the repairs, the church building closed for good and was dismantled. The 18 July 1872 Fifeshire Journal used phrases such as "very ugly" and "tumble-down" to describe the old church. However, the fact that it had endured for a century and seen nine ministers serve the community that had played such a key role in its construction makes it a remarkable building in my opinion. 
​
Picture
Picture
Picture
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About

    This blog is about the history of the villages of Lundin Links, Lower Largo and Upper Largo in Fife, Scotland. Comments and contributions from readers are very welcome!

    Search

    There is no in-built search facility on this site. To search for content, go to Google and type your search words followed by "lundin weebly".

    Contact

    Categories

    All
    Antiquities
    Beach
    Boarding Houses
    Business
    Churches
    Clubs And Societies
    Drummochy
    Facilities
    Farming
    Fishing
    Golf
    Houses
    Keil's Den
    Largo Law
    Lower Largo
    Masseney Braes
    New Gilston
    People
    Railway
    School
    Shops
    Standing Stanes
    Streets
    Tourism
    Upper Largo
    Viaduct
    War

    Archives

    May 2025
    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Links

    Largo Baywatch Blog
    Fife Family History Society
    ​
    Polish Parachute Brigade Info​

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.