Church Art and Portraits

The following images are artists' impressions of how our church and the Arthur Memorial would look after they were last painted and decorated.

New Cumnock Parish Church

Here are some details from the above

This photograph shows the boys from Community Industries, who, along with their foreman (right) carried out the above work. Rev McGurk (left) presented them with a copy of the photo on completion of the work in March 1987.

The Arthur Memorial Church

Courtesy of Mrs M Rorrison

This is a post card of the village in 1905. It was taken from the top of the tower looking north. The building surrounded by trees at the centre is the old Parish Church manse, since demolished. Diagonally to the left can be seen the original Free Church and to its left is the roof and gable of its manse (still standing).

Courtesy of Mrs I McDicken

This is a pencil sketch of the church by Sandy Pollock......

...... and a pen and ink of the interior by John Geddes.

Like the artist's colour version, it shows the missing original stained glass panel. It also shows the side pews and front pews coming right to the chancel with the balustrade. If you look closely, you can see the original pulpit reading light hanging on its chain from the ceiling. You can also see this in the colour version above.

The following came from a 1950's magazine of New Cumnock Junior Secondary School and is courtesy of Miss Betty M Lees, Cumnock.

MARTYRS CHURCH (The following article was obtained by Tom Morton in an interview with Mr Macpherson.) The present Martyrs’ Church was opened in 1833. The name of Martyrs’ was given to it in 1929. It was suggested by Mr. James H. Stevenson, Rottenyard Farm, and was accepted with great unanimity by the congregation. This is the county of the martyrs - there is a monument to two of them off the Dumfries Road. The church replaced a previous building, now in ruins, which was built in 1659. The church has had many ministers; the Rev. Robert E Murray was minister for almost 50 years. The last minister, Mr Waugh, resigned his charge to take up a preaching appointment in the Riverside School, Falkirk.

ARTHUR MEMORIAL CHURCH The present church was built about 1914. There had been another church on the site before, but it was pulled down. The front of the old building was rebuilt as the front of the present church hall. The church was called the Arthur Memorial in memory of a local farmer, who when he died bequeathed the money to erect the present building. He also left money to build a library in New Cumnock which has never been built. About 100 years ago the church had its own school; the house presently occupied by Miss McKinnon was the headmaster’s house. Mr Lowrie told us all this. He also was very keen to show us round the church. He pointed out the stained glass windows and paintings of previous ministers.

The Arthur Memorial article begs the question "Where are the paintings of the previous ministers?". Those of the Parish Church can be seen below.

Portraits of past Parish Church ministers.

Rev. D.C. Macpherson 1953 - 1974

Rev Andrew McGurk 1983 - 1992

Rev Rona M Young 2001 - Present

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