History

St.Machar’s Ranfurly Parish Church of Scotland

Scottish Charity Number

SCO 03766

The Building:

The church building is Early Gothic in style, built by Lewis Shanks in 1877-78, brother of one of the local millowners. The lych gate was added in 1939. The chancel, which is brick faced internally with a small hall below was added in 1909-10 by Alexander Hislop. The enlargement of the vestibule and the addition of the millennium room was completed in 2005.

The Windows

The following section describes the five stained glass windows which are considered to be of unusual beauty for a Parish Church.

The Chancel Windows depict three scenes:

The left depicts the Salutation of Mary.

The centre records the birth and life of Christ with the vivid red upper piece depicting the Ascension.

The right section illustrates tenets of the Christian Faith.


	The West Gallery Window includes a large three light window and has the theme of “Suffer Little Children”

The North Aisle:

The upper circular window shows the ensign of St. George borne over a lamb.

The right hand includes a figure of St. George, holding a spear and his banner.

The left hand depicts a disciple holding the Book of the Seven Seals.

The Central Window of the North Aisle makes reference to the Water of Life.

The upper circular window shows a hart at a brook, enclosed in a vivid verdant pastoral scene.

The two lights of this window depict biblical scenes from the innumerable references in both the Old and New Testaments, in which water is regarded as life giving.


	The North West Aisle Window has various scenes from the Bible associated with the education of children.

Further information on the above windows can be had at the Church in a booklet written by Maurice L Gaine in August 1996.

The Merger

The joining together of the two congregations of St. Machar’s Church and Ranfurly Church took place in 1968 at which time the current name was adopted and the present church building used. The old Ranfurly Church has since been converted into flats having spent some years as the local squash club.

The Ministers

St. Machar’s

Ranfurly

1878

R.Turnball

1890

A. Wilson

1884

T. Duncan

1932

J. Monteith

1899

A.M. Shand

1940

C.R. Gilchrist

1939

T.W. Lund

1947

E.T. Vernon

1946

W.M. McCartney

1952

L.B. Bishop

1962

D.A. McLeod

1968

A.F. McCormick

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1977

W. Paterson

1984

T.C. Pitkeathly

1992

S. Dunleavy

History


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