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Following the death of the Rev Thomas Schaw of Scone in 1745, and subsequent disagreements over the call of a minister to the parish, a group of 56 parishioners successfully petitioned the Burgher Presbytery of Perth in March 1748. By April 1748 the number of supporters had increased to 123, and by the close of 1899 the membership of the congregation was 270.
The first place of worship for the Burgher congregation at Scone is thought to have been completed and occupied by the autumn of 1748, although it was not until January 1755 that the first minister, James Wylie from Stow, was ordained to the charge, with the promise of an annual stipend of £30. However, throughout Mr Wylie's ministry the congregation struggled to meet this stipend. A new meeting place for the congregation was recommended in 1773, but it was not until 1789 that this new building was finally built. This church and manse were at Old Scone, just over one mile from Perth. However, in 1810, by agreement with Lord Mansfield, new buildings were erected on the site of the present village of Scone.
Following the death of James Wylie, thought to be towards the end of 1785, and although two candidates were suggested to fill the vacancy, no minister was appointed until March 1791. Mr John Jamieson was ordained to the charge on 16 March 1791, remaining there for almost sixty-two years, until his death in 1853. Mr Jamieson's stipend on commencement of his ministry was £60, with £5 for a house. By 1838 his stipend had increased to £120.
The third minister was James Hill, who was ordained to Scone in January 1854, demitting the charge in 1863 to emigrate to New Zealand. He was succeeded in 1864 by John McNeil, who remained at Scone until 1883 when he accepted a call to Busby. John McNeil was succeeded by John B Slater, BD, and ordained to Scone in August 1883. By 1870 the stipend had increased to £135, still apparently falling short of the minimum then being aimed for by £22 10s. When Mr McNeil was ordained in 1883 the stipend was £180, and was subsequently raised to £190.
It passed successively to the United Presbyterian and United Free Churches, and to the Church of Scotland as Scone West, which united with Scone Abbey as Scone New in 1952. The Church of Scotland charge was in the presbytery of Perth and the synod of Perth and Stirling. |