Ayth Parish Church History
Our History
Discover the rich history of Alyth Parish Church, a place of Christian worship since the sixth century. Founded by St. Moluag, it stands as a testament to the enduring faith of the community. Explore the historic Arches on the High Street, remnants of the first stone church in Perthshire.
Early Beginnings
There has been a church in Alyth for many centuries. The first was founded in the sixth century by St. Moluag and was one of the earliest places of Christian worship in this part of Perthshire. The Arches, further along the High Street, are all that remain of the first stone church ever to be built in this district. Robert the Bruce is said to have worshipped there in 1326.
The current building in an equally prominent position was completed in 1839 to the grand design of an Edinburgh architect, Thomas Hamilton. It is Gothic in style, with Romanesque influences, especially in the windows, and has an unusually high spire.​A Pictish Stone can be found in the vestibule, this dates from the 8th or 9th century, and is a natural slab of gneiss with an incised Latin cross with interlacing ornamentation on one side. On the other side there is a “double disc” carving.​
Opposite this there is a white, carved stone baptismal font, a gift from Sunday School in 1908. The font has a 18th century pewter basin.​The Funeral escutcheon, on the balcony to the right of the organ pipes commemorates the death of Sir George Ramsay, sixth baronet of Bamff, in a duel at Musselburgh, in April 1790 - one of the last dueling deaths in Scotland.​
The three manual pipe organ was originally built by Harrison and Harrison in 1890 for Dysart Parish Church, in Fife and was extensively refurbished in 2005. It was installed in Alyth Parish Church in 1978 after a serious fire destroyed the previous organ, and part of the roof, in February 1977. An axe presented by the Fire Brigade at that time may be seen in the Hall of Friendship, along with various other pictures and portraits.
20th Century
The Church has many beautiful stained-glass windows dating from the early 20th century. Upstairs, in the North Gallery, the window depicting the life of Christ commemorates the Rev Colin Symers (minister 1773-1817). Designed by Stephen Adam of Glasgow, it was unveiled by the Countess of Airlie in 1905. Downstairs on the left-hand side, the McGibbon window by Ballantyne of Edinburgh also dates from 1905.
In the Centre, the Robertson window was completed by Stephen Adam in 1906. On the right, the Ramsay window incorporates local scenes. Up in the opposite South Gallery, the Duncan of Jordanstone Memorial window is considered the best example of stained glass in the church.
Designed by Henry Holiday of London, it was dedicated in 1908 and takes as its theme The Man of Sorrows. Downstairs, from left to right, are the Alexander Mitchell and Barbara Duncan Memorial window, the Charles Simpson Memorial window of 1913, also designed by Henry Holiday of London, and a window commemorating the Rev James Meikle (minister 1897-1933). Designed by Miss Kemp of Edinburgh in 1948, it depicts the Parable of the Sower and features the local raspberry crops.
The Alyth Clock
New lease on life for historic Kirk clock Alyth Parish Church’s venerable clock is getting a new lease on life thanks in part to grants from ADT. The clock chimes have been telling Alyth folk the time for almost 200 years apart from a few brief silences, most recently during the COVID lockdown. Last year, Kirk’s fabric committee decided to automate the clock’s winding mechanism and brought in specialists from the Cumbria Clock Company to advise on the best way of doing it. They immediately recognised the clock as a rare and historic example of the work of Benjamin Lewis Vulliamy, clockmaker to Queen Victoria.
Alyth’s clock is one of only two in Scotland known to have been made by Benjamin, was one of the best clockmakers of his time –extremely well regarded in the horological world and a second generation master clockmaker. He was master of the Worshipful Company of Clockmakers, and clockmaker to King William IV then Queen Victoria, making many of the internal clocks in Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace, Clarence House and Brighton Pavilion and many of the other palaces that the royals use, as well as many of the internal clocks in the Houses of Parliament at Westminster.
Alyth’s clock was made and installed in 1840, at which time Benjamin was a renowned master craftsman having already designed and fitted the clocks in the Royal Palaces. The bell in Alyth’s tower would have been supplied by him at the same time as the clock; it was cast by the Mears Foundry, who cast Big Ben for the Houses of Parliament. No-one knows how Alyth came to have a clock of this quality and expense, made to Vulliamy’s exacting standards.
The Cumbria Clock Company discovered that the clock has very little wear even after 183 years of service, and with automation should have at least another 183 years in it. John Smith, Kirk Fabric Convener (pictured below with the mechanism), said: “Many of the local community had commented on missing the striking of the bell, and we wanted to bring the 180-year tradition back to Alyth.
Now that the work has been completed, the local community will be able to continue to see the time on the clock and again be able to hear the bell striking on the hour. The clock itself only requires a light servicing since it was made to such high standards, but this project has fitted a new mechanism for automatic winding and to allow the chimes to be silenced overnight - something the old mechanism didn’t allow. We’re pleased to be able to bring back the historic chimes to Alyth, and delighted to have found out that the town possesses such a rare and fine piece of clock engineering.
