Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland--Nonconformist Church Records

= Nonconformist Church Records =

A nonconformist church is any church that is not the Established church. Read more about nonconformity in Scotland in the article on the Scotland Church Records Union Lists.

United Secession and Relief Presbyterian Churches
Note: The New Statistical Account of Scotland for Fife, dated 1845, shows the total United Secession Church membership in Dunfermline at that time was approximately 8000.

Dunfermline Associate Burgher Church, Queen Anne Street
History— This congregation originated in the secession of its minister and the great majority of the parishioners from the Established church. The minister was the brother of one of the four original seceding ministers who formed the Associate Presbytery. He formally united himself with them in 1737. A church was built in 1740; a second in 1800. The minister and the majority of the members adhered to the Associate Burgher Synod at the 1747 Breach.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records—                    FHL Film Number  Baptisms 1739–1799       0889488 item 3 Baptisms 1797–1823       0889489 item 1 Other: Marriages 1775–1799 Various Minutes 1740–1922 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/568.

 National Archives of Scotland Catalog: 

CH3/568 Dunfermline, Associate (burgher) church, Queen Anne Street, United Presbyterian, United Free, Church of Scotland Erskine, united 1974 with Dunfermline, St Andrew's, as St Andrew's-Erskine 1740-1977 CH3/568/58 Miscellaneous papers 1792 Check details CH3/568/59 Miscellaneous papers 1764-1800 CH3/568/67 Building accounts for the meeting house of Dunfermline 1722-1723 CH3/568/69 Accounts and miscellaneous papers Early 19th century CH3/568/73 Petitions and related papers 1822 CH3/568/75 Letters addressed to the Rev. James Young, Dunfermline, mainly arranging details of forthcoming sacrament, 1833-9 1833-1839 CH3/568/76 Miscellaneous papers 18th-19th century 1745-1822 CH3/568/77 Letters mainly addressed to the Rev. John More, Cairney Hill, Dunfermline 1829-1830 CH3/568/78 Miscellaneous papers 1834-1835 CH3/568/79 Letters and petitions 1831-1833 CH3/568/81 Miscellaneous papers 19th century CH3/568/85 Miscellaneous papers 1765-1841 CH3/568/96 Account of a through stone for grave of Ralph Erskine, minister of Queen Anne St. burgher church, paid to John Kirk, Dunfermline, 10 September 1767

Cairneyhill United Presbyterian Church
History— A praying society in the parish of Torryburn acceded to the Associate Presbytery in 1737. It was made up partially of residents of Carnock parish. Seceders from the parish of Culross also joined with these and they became connected with an Associate congregation in Dunfermline. At the Breach in 1747, the portion adhering to the General Associate Anti-burgher Synod formed a separate congregation with Cairneyhill as its seat. A church was built in 1752. Many of the members were from Dunfermline and they eventually broke away and formed the Chalmers Street congregation in Dunfermline.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records—                       FHL Film Number  Baptisms 1741–1810          0889477 Marriages 1754–1810          0889477

Other: Session Minutes 1754–1866 Collection Book 1779–1911 Treasurer's Account Book 1835–1894 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/340.

Chalmers Street Anti-burgher Church
History— In 1788 this congregation was disjoined from that of Cairneyhill. A church was built the following year, with seating for 420. A new church was built in 1862. In 1832 the minister, and a portion of the congregation, removed themselves to the Maygate Chapel and formed a separate congregation. A new minister was ordained.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— Congregational Manager’s Minutes 1825–1941 Collection 1817–1869 Cash Book 1812–1870 Communion Rolls 1855–1939 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/569.

St. Margaret's United Presbyterian Church
History— In 1820 a large minority of the Queen Anne Street congregation objected to the settlement of a particular man as assistant to their minister, while the majority was in his favor. The issue was put before the Synod and the decision was made to divide the congregation, which was immensely large at the time. The minority withdrew and was formed as a separate congregation in 1825. They rented the unoccupied Wesleyan Chapel in Maygate until a place of worship was erected for them in 1828. It contained seating for 979.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— Baptismal Register 1851–1892 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1232.

Maygate Secession Church
History— In the history of Chalmers Street, the minister of that congregation, with a portion of his people, withdrew and formed themselves into a separate church in 1832. This was due to the fact that the minister had been suspended from his office for a time by the Presbytery. When he was restored, some members of the Chalmers Street congregation still objected to him, thus his withdrawal. They purchased the Wesleyan Chapel in Maygate, which contained seating for 410. After the great union of Secession and Relief churches in 1847, this congregation united with the North Chapel Street Relief Church and later became known as the Gillespie Church. The Maygate chapel was sold to the Baptists.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Limekilns Associate Presbyterian Church
History— This congregation originated with members of Queen Anne Street congregation, resident in and about Limekilns, who on account of distance from the place of worship, applied for and obtained supply of sermon in their own neighborhood from the Associate Burgher Presbytery of Dunfermline in October 1782. The first church was built in 1784 and a second in 1825.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records—                                                            FHL Film Number  Blotter Registers Including Baptisms 1782–1857        1068239 item 2 Baptisms 1857–1865                                               1068240 item 1

Crossgates Associate Presbyterian Church
History— Certain person’s resident in the area of Crossgate, thinking it an eligible place for a church, erected one there with seating for 530 in 1802. After some deliberation respecting the religious denominations with which they could connect it, they applied for and obtained supply of sermon to it from the Associate Burgher Presbytery of Dunfermline. The congregation was organized in May 1803.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Gillespie North Chapel Street Relief Church
History— This church was named for the principal founder of the Relief Church. It was the congregation raised by him after his ejection from the Established Church, for which he was the minister of Carnock, which came as a result of his refusal to take part in the forced settlement of a minister in Inverkeithing in 1752. He took possession of a place of worship in that year. A new church was built in 1776 on North Chapel Street, with seating for 520. This congregation and its minister aliened themselves with the United Presbyterian Church at the union in 1847. In 1848 they united with the Secession congregation in Maygate, and took the name of the United Presbyterian Congregation, North Chapel Street. A new church was built in 1849 and it was known as the Gillespie Church.

Membership: 1845, 700.

Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source, including ministers.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Dunfermline Abbey Free Church
History— The minister of the Abbey Church was enrolled a member of the Free Church Assembly at the Disruption but shortly afterwards withdrew from the Free Church. A congregation of those who had come out of the Abbey Church was at once organized. Their church on Canmore Street was purchased and opened for the new congregation in January 1844. A new church was erected on the old site in 1883–1884.

Membership: 1848, 400; 1900, 558.

Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— The extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Dunfermline Free North Church
History— The minister and congregation of this Church Extension charge, formed in 1840, adhered to the Free Church in 1843. They continued to use the church until deprived of it by interdict in 1849. A new church was erected the same year. The church, situated in the center of the town, drew its members from a wide area.

Membership: 1848, 379; 1900 444.

Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— Deacons Court Minutes 1842–1958 Account Book 1840–67 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/411.

CH3/411 Dunfermline Free North Church (later United Free and St John's Church of Scotland, and united with St Columba's to form St Paul's 1958) 1840-2001

St. Andrews Free Church
History— The minister of this charge, with his congregation, adhered to the Free Church at the Disruption and retained their church for two years when, after litigation, they were obliged to leave it. A new church was built and opened in 1847.

Membership: 1848, 343; 1900, 401.

Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— Minutes 1843–1933 Treasurer’s Accounts 1843–1904 Sustentation Fund 1843–1870 Communion Rolls 1854–1954 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/463.

Other Denominations
For records of other nonconformist denominations, click here.

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