The United Free Church and Manse c1900

According to the ‘Annals of the Free Church of Scotland’, following the Disruption of 1843 when the Free Church was formed as a breakaway from the Church of Scotland, the parish was put under the charge of the minister of Cruden. In 1857, for reasons unknown, Slains parishioners were deprived of their place of worship in Collieston and had to worship during the summer months in the open air.

The church building was eventually erected in 1862 but when the minister, Rev George Manson, retired in 1892 when the church membership was 48, the charge was reduced to a mission station.

In 1919 church services were discontinued and the property was sold the following year. The Free Church building which overlooks the Sand Loch was, after a period as the village hall and then combine harvester store, converted into a house called ‘Collieston Hall’. The Manse is now called ‘Moorlands’. 

Extracts from articles in the Sentinel:

OPENING OF THE NEW FREE CHURCH MISSION CHURCH AT SLAINS

‘As our readers will no doubt remember, some six months ago we reported the laying of the foundation stone of a new mission-house and school in connection with the Free Church at Slains.  We have now the gratification of announcing that the building has been opened, and that in the most successful manner. Standing on a small knoll on the edge of the little Loch of Slains, the new Church is a rather interesting feature in the landscape, at this part of the parish so generally uninteresting. The building is a very neat and handsome one, in the early English style of architecture, and is surmounted by a neat little belfry. It is capable of accommodating about 350 persons, and its cost has not exceeded £350. The site on which it stands was generously granted by John Gordon Esq of Cluny. A little to the west of the church it is contemplated to erect a dwelling house for the teacher and preacher shortly to be stationed there. The plans of the building were presented by Messrs Habershon and Pite, of London, and the work has been executed under the inspection of James Henderson Esq of Aberdeen.

The funds for the erection of the building have been mainly contributed by the friends of the Free Church in other parts of the country – not a few subscriptions being obtained from Christians of other denominations – while the remainder was supplied by the Church Building Committee of the Free Church.

The interior of the building is divided by a partition in the middle – the upper part being fitted up with regular church pews, and the lower half (to be used as the school) with moveable forms, capable , of course, of being extemporised as church seats.

The school was much needed in the district – especially as regards Collieston.  The parish school is distant from the village about two miles: and this disadvantage operated seriously so far as regarded the education of the youth of the village.  With the school at their doors, however, and all advantages at hand, the fisher population will now be on terms of equality with their previously more favoured neighbours.…………………………..The Church, then, was opened on Wednesday afternoon last, by the *Rev Mr Kennedy.’ (Sentinel 11 July 1862)

*pastor of the Free Church at Cruden

‘The new school lately finished near Collieston is to be opened on Monday week by Mr J R Arthur, a gentleman, we understand, eminently fitted for the duties of the situation to which he has been appointed.’ (Sentinel 05 September 1862)

Thanks to Charles Esson for the above information.

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