Many thanks to Alistair Bryden for sharing the interesting story of how Largo St David's Church came to have the fine oak panelling seen in the above image. His father Ewan Bryden was for many years an Elder with the Church and also Clerk to the Managers. This meant that he was responsible for the maintenance of the building. In his professional life, he was an executive of major engineering firm 'Henry Balfour and Company' of Leven. Around this time (1950s) the chairman of the firm was Mr W. Lindsay Burns who resided at 'Linburn' on Leven Road, Lundin Links. Ewan Bryden wrote the following in his memoirs...
Mr Burns (the chairman) of Balfour's wanted a prestigious Board Room. It so happened that at that time we heard that a country house in the Black Isle was being demolished and a large quantity of oak panelling would be available. We at once sent a lorry up with a team from the joiners and pattern makers to get as much panelling as possible. There was sufficient to panel all the Board Room and the adjacent dining room. There was some panelling left over and I was able to obtain this to panel the vestibule of St David's Parish Church where I happened to be an Elder and Clerk to the Managers"
It would seem that the house in question was Rosehaugh on the Avoch estate. Its contents were auctioned off in 1954 ahead of its demolition in 1959 (see advert below from 14 Aug 1954 St Andrews Citizen). Rosehaugh House is also shown below.
Mr Burns (the chairman) of Balfour's wanted a prestigious Board Room. It so happened that at that time we heard that a country house in the Black Isle was being demolished and a large quantity of oak panelling would be available. We at once sent a lorry up with a team from the joiners and pattern makers to get as much panelling as possible. There was sufficient to panel all the Board Room and the adjacent dining room. There was some panelling left over and I was able to obtain this to panel the vestibule of St David's Parish Church where I happened to be an Elder and Clerk to the Managers"
It would seem that the house in question was Rosehaugh on the Avoch estate. Its contents were auctioned off in 1954 ahead of its demolition in 1959 (see advert below from 14 Aug 1954 St Andrews Citizen). Rosehaugh House is also shown below.
Ewan Bryden was also responsible for the the construction and installation of the light above the pulpit and the replacement of the stone belfry on the south gable of the building with a metal 'belfry' on the north gable - both fabricated by Balfour's. A routine inspection had revealed that the stone belfry had deteriorated and was in danger of collapsing. Below are four further images of the interior of St David's Church, featuring the panelling, light and belfry.
With many thanks to Alistair Bryden for the information and John Ross for the images of Largo St David's Church.
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