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history |
The founder of Milnathort Associate Congregation, Thomas Mair, who was ordained minister of Orwell Parish church in 1725 accede to the Associate Presbytery in 1737, and in 1740 procceeded to organise the erection of a church to house the Milnathort Associate Congregation. The building recieved the nickname of the "Muckle Kirk", owing to its vast size and ability to accomodate 2000 sitters . Mr Mair however died in 1768, having tried in vain to established a sanctioned Antiburgher charge. Following his death, some of the leading men in the congregation decided to give up on the Antiburgher Synod and turned instead to the Burgher Presbytery of Kirckaldy, to request that they be provided with sermon. Their request was immediatley granted and in 1771 Thomas Porteous was ordained minister to the Burgher charge of Milnathort. In 1839 the congregation joined the Church of Scotland under the name of Orwell, and at the Disruption of 1843 the minister adhered to the Free Church. In 1845 the Free Presbytery of Kinross resolved that the church should take the name of the parish (Orwell) and not that of the village (Milnathort). In 1900, upon the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterians, Orwell Free Church became Orwell United Free and in 1927 Orwell United Free was joined with the congregation of Milnathort United Free, under the name of Milnathort. In 1929, following the union between the United Free Church and the Church of Scotland, Milnathort United Free became Milnathort Church of Scotland and the charge was reduced in status in 1950. This congregation sat within the jurisdiction of the Presbytery of Kinross and later of Dunfermline and Kinross. |