Polmont North Parish Church

1844 to 1969

The First Kirk - Its Building
The new parish of Polmont was disjoined from that of Falkirk and created in its own right ("erected by Commissioners of Teinds") on 22 July, 1724. It is to be assumed that the Heritors of the new parish were in discussion together both before and after this date, but their first formal meeting as a board was held at Reddoch farm (now in the east end of Grangemouth) on 21 April, 1730. Attendance was recorded as follows (the minute-book is quoted word - for - word):
"Sederunt of the Heritors of the new erected Paroch of Polmont Mr Patrick Haldane of Bearcrofts Mr George Schaw of Kersiebank Alexander Bruce of Milnhall Patrick Houstoun factor for the Dutches of Hamilton Mr Robert Dalgleish minister of the gospel at Linlithgow Richard Burn of Clerkstoun Mr Patrick Bennet of Whyteside Robert Johnstoun of Overtoun James Murray portioner of Reddoch David Robertson portioner of Candie John Gaff portioner of Redding William Rochet of Rochhaugh James Walker portioner of Weedins."

With Mr Haldane elected as preses (chairman - who had to be elected anew at each meeting), Mr John Hay was appointed clerk and collector of Heritors' dues, and the board got down to the practical business of the purchasing of the glebe and building the church, manse etc.. In this connection they agreed to buy land for the glebe from Mr Bennet, who was a substantial landowner in the parish, at a price 25 times the annual rental value "for building the Church, Church yeard Manse and Manse yeard." As a major contribution, Mr Alexander Bruce and his wife Grizell each bought and donated "ane acker in complement to assist" i.e. two acres of the most valuable land out of the seven - acre total. And the meeting "farder" (further) agreed to appoint a committee "to meet with workmen to make ane estimate" for the necessary works; the committee to carry out its duties "ay and while the same be compleatly finished and ended."

Much wonderful detail of the work of the Heritors is recorded in their Minute Book and accounts which it is not practical to relate here; the following one or two examples are given to give some flavour of their nature: (first, from the architect, Mr William Douglass, Edinburgh)

"Edr. March 18th: 1730
Received from Mr William Drummond of Grange the sume of two guineas, and that for designing, and drawing of a new church for Polmont by me and making ane estimate yr. of.
W. Douglass"

(Then, for some of the masonry-stone, quarried at South Queensferry).
"Queensferry June 15th. 1731
Then Shipp't on Board the William Boatt Andrew Bucknery Skipper a Loading of Stones to Mr Hay for the new Kirk att Pomine

Item To 32 aisler att 2sh: 6d each	£04: 00: 00
Item To 8 double aisler att 4s. each	£01. 12. 00
Item To 7 four foots att 8s. each	£02: 16. 00
Item To 4 five foots att 10s. each	£02: 00: 00
Item To one six foot	£00: 12: 00
Item To 10 Jamms att 8s. each	£04: 00: 00
Item To 4 pillars att half a crown each	£06: 00: 00
	£21: 00. 00

Grange panns 23 June 1731 Received from John Hay by Charles Morisone Quarrier in Queensferry the sume of ninteen ponnes scots in full of the within accompt his "mark" Charles Morison

(It is worthy of mention that scots money was worth one twelfth of sterling, and that the total sum invoiced was therefore £1. 75; that Charles Morison(e) obviously couldn't write, and received only £1. 58 in payment; and that spelling clearly had not yet been codified into the forms we know today)

Master Mason Adam Howison also submitted his "accompt" in due course, and it included for 6 weeks' attendance at "Gillstone" quarry "with the workmen" John Sword for attending the boats with the stones from Queensferry; Quarrying "38 foot of rigging stone att Madistoun". from which we learn that stone from three different quarries was needed in the building of the first church.

We have no record of the building contract itself, or indeed of the final accounts for the works involved; but we do have a whole range of invoices and records of payment, in addition to the ones quoted. The foundation stone was laid on 22 May, 1731, and the Heritors met in the Kirk on 11 August, 1732, by which time the basic building work must have been complete. The Heritors examined and approved the accounts that had been submitted to date, to the value of "four thousand pounds scots money or thereby" (around £330 sterling): and subsequently agreed:

to ask "the Reverend Prisbitry (i.e. of Linlithgow) to pass ane act for the more effectual / raising of the said money; & also to appoint a day for moderating a Call to a minister for the said Kirk & to proceed.... with all convenient speed."
to appoint a schoolmaster at 90 pounds scots (£7. 50 sterling) per annum.

Mr Patrick Bennet, one of the most important Heritors of the parish, was ordained first minister of the new church on 21 March, 1733 - by which date the building was presumably completed and fitted out - and served the congregation and parish of Polmont for the next 50 years and 22 days.

The appointment of a schoolmaster and the building of a school occupied the attention of the Heritors in due course. On 16 June, 1736, they instructed Mr Bennet "to find out a weel - qualified schoolmaster and agree for 1 year with him & take & oblige him to remove at the expiring of the year in case he does not please both Heritors and tennants." Mr John Gray was recruited, and appears to have done his work satisfactorily, for he was still in post when it was decided, on 12 April, 1737, to arrange a "comparative tryal" of 4 candidates for the permanent appointment. This "tryal" was conducted on 20 May, 1737. It seems mainly to have comprised interpretation and translation of Latin texts, plus a translation from English into Latin; at any rate, the outcome was a little hard because, advised by two professors from Edinburgh University, the Heritors decided only on a split vote in favour of Mr James Montgomery, who was appointed to the permanent post in place of Mr Gray.

Mr Montgomery, whose work is commemorated by former pupils in a monument with copper - plate inscription opposite the entrance to the present session-house, served Polmont Kirk and community with diligence and merit for the next 52 years - as schoolmaster, session clerk, precentor, clerk to the Heritors, etc..

In the interim, the Heritors had also recorded that Mr Bennet had agreed to do without a manse (he lived at Whyteside) provided he was suitably compensated (22 October, 1735, for which meeting Francis, Lord Napier, of Westquarter was elected preses). And on 13 October, 1736, the school having been built, they came together "agreeing for the ground whereon the schoolhouse is now built... " (i.e. to purchase the land which had been rented until then) "... on part of the lands of Whyteside pertaining to ye said Mr Patrick Bennet on ye SE corner of ye church yeard dyke & adjacent to the glieb lyes most commodious & convenient & that he was willing to sell as much yrof as it is necessary." Half an acre of ground was purchased for 93 pounds 15s. scots - less than £8 sterling.

As far as the Kirk Session was concerned, they met regularly from 1728 onwards, dealing with cases of moral, i.e. sexual, transgression almost exclusively. They met for the first time with their own minister as moderator four days after Mr Bennet's ordination, on 25 March, 1733, and were four in number - elders Robert Whyte, James Wilson, Robert Robinson and David Gardner.

Thereafter they continued their work of moral supervision, interviewing suspected transgressors and meting out justice. For those judged to have sinned, this normally required a statement of guilt and repentance, an act of atonement by sitting in front of the congregation or at the door of the church, followed by full forgiveness.