Description

Foreword Meldrum Parish Church stands on a hill on the road leading out of Oldmeldrum, past the Golf Course, to Tarves, enjoying a pleasant vista looking out over the village it serves. The church driveway is bordered by grass, shrubs and trees on either side and on the left side is the War Memorial, well maintained by members of the Oldmeldrum branch of the Royal British Legion. It was unveiled in July 1920 by Captain Alexander Manson of Kilblean, who four years earlier had been reported as killed in action. Every year on Remembrance Sunday a short service is held there and two minutes silence observed before entering the Church for the main service. A cairn can be seen built from stones from the original church at Bethelnie, to commemorate Meldrum and BourtieÔÇÖs three hundred years of unbroken Christian service from 1684 to 1984. The kirkyard immediately surrounding the church contains around 200 stones, the earliest recording a death in 1717; the memorial Inscriptions are published by ANESFHS with the catalogue number AA169. There is a stone of interest on the North wall facing the Church is to Marion Montgomery Louden who died in the Tay Bridge railway disaster in 1897. The first extension or cemetery, which lies immediately to the east of the kirkyard, was first used in 1891 and Aberdeenshire Council records the first interment as a James Barron on 30th July, 1891. This ground was originally part of the commonty, (ie. Common land used by villagers for shared grazing of their livestock). With the great, the brave and the good folk of Oldmeldrum village and its surrounds remembered here, there are the family lairs of two local ÔÇ£worthiesÔÇØ, namely Willie Kemp and George Morris, who entertained many and left a lasting doric legacy of cornkisters and songs to the area. There was for many years a stand of trees inside the cemetery but as burial space became exhausted, the trees were removed in the 1940ÔÇÖs and the first interment in this strip was in 1951 for the Reverend Eric Hind, a very popular minister of the parish. Occasional interments continue in this area, but most burials are now in the newer cemetery ground to the north, across the Tarves road (not included in this publication). Going into the church through a door that was made from a bequest from Miss L. Morrison in memory of Alex. Morrison, Glenview, who died in 1917, we enter a small vestibule with stairs leading up to a balcony, and go into the main aisle of the church through another small door from which we can look down the length of the church to a beautiful stained glass window depicting the ÔÇ£Good ShepherdÔÇØ with the text ÔÇ£There shall be one fold and one shepherdÔÇØ and the Cross standing below. Meldrum Church has been very fortunate in receiving a number of bequests from parishioners for two stained glass windows ÔÇô one to commemorate the life of Miss Henrietta Halliday, a long serving choir member and also Douglas and Edith Milne, faithful church members, and it bears the text ÔÇ£Well done good and faithful servantÔÇØ, and to Miss Florrie Forbes, a well loved school teacher, and it shows St. Cecilia with the text ÔÇ£I know that my Redeemer livethÔÇØ. Both these windows were dedicated on 24th December, 1995. Another stained glass window is dedicated to the memory of John Manson Sleigh aged 4 years, son of Jack and Mary Sleigh, who died as the result of a tragic accident in August 1955 at his home at West Fingask. It has the very poignant text ÔÇ£And a little child shall lead themÔÇØ. At the front of the church is a beautiful Allan organ which we were able to purchase from another bequest dedicated in July 1992 to Miss Barbara Thomson, Philipstown, it has certainly proved a great asset to the church. Chairs have also been donated by church members providing seating for the choir, Church members and visitors. You will see the British Legion plaque and flags with the names of those who fell in the war 1939 ÔÇô 1945 and further down is a plaque to the Reverend George Garioch donated by members of the congregation and friends, to recognise fifty years continuous service as a minister. In the vestibule is a hand scripted framed list of the past ministers of Bethelnie and Meldrum from 1560, a tribute to all the years of dedicated service. Based on information contributed by Mr Fred Milne.