Kirk
- Thread starter Allan Batchelor
- Start date
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
A Sunday Post, even! A nice wee kirk. Is that a bell "tower" on top?
Allan Batchelor
Well-Known Member
Ye think it is Rob a wee place called Inverarity just a 5 min drive out of Dundee towards Forfar
Allan Batchelor
Well-Known Member
Oh where did your granda have his farm? Mine had The Latch at Welbank. My uncle runs it now.
Ian Grant
Well-Known Member
Not far away, Wellbank is just up the old railway line from Ardownie, where the big quarries are on the road to Carnoustie, just outside Monifieth. My Uncle farmed it until he retired I'd guess maybe 1979, then the family sold it, I've got the sale particulars, Geddes the quarry company bought it.
The family had farming friends at Wellbank, my Uncle was a church Elder in Monifieth, my guess is They'd have known your family. My fathers sister's husband, farmed at Meigle, and was a director of Forfar market, my cousin still owns the farm although he's an accountant in Perth.
I'm sure one of my father's friends was a Batchelor, or maybe it was a cousin and I think from Wellbank, I'd need to check my grandparents wedding photo, I've a list of everyone in the group photo - well every one my father and uncle could remember. I'm in Turkey but fly back tommorrow, I have the images and corresponding names scanned.
It's quite a small world really, my wife's Turkish and remarkably her Aunt's husband worked for my sister's Father-in-law at the World Bank (same department) in Washington.
I've an early start tomorrow, then 2 hr time change, I'll check the photos probably Tuesday once I've caught up, and may ask one of my cousins. Everyone round there went to Dundee High School and she has a goodnmemory of names & places as she only moved away to Edinburgh in the last few years.
Ian
The family had farming friends at Wellbank, my Uncle was a church Elder in Monifieth, my guess is They'd have known your family. My fathers sister's husband, farmed at Meigle, and was a director of Forfar market, my cousin still owns the farm although he's an accountant in Perth.
I'm sure one of my father's friends was a Batchelor, or maybe it was a cousin and I think from Wellbank, I'd need to check my grandparents wedding photo, I've a list of everyone in the group photo - well every one my father and uncle could remember. I'm in Turkey but fly back tommorrow, I have the images and corresponding names scanned.
It's quite a small world really, my wife's Turkish and remarkably her Aunt's husband worked for my sister's Father-in-law at the World Bank (same department) in Washington.
I've an early start tomorrow, then 2 hr time change, I'll check the photos probably Tuesday once I've caught up, and may ask one of my cousins. Everyone round there went to Dundee High School and she has a goodnmemory of names & places as she only moved away to Edinburgh in the last few years.
Ian
Allan Batchelor
Well-Known Member
My granda was Willie Beattie. I was at the Forfar mert with him a lot during my youth lol. There were some Batchelors farming in the area but there a different one.
Pete Askew
Admin
Nice shot Allan and I like the simple plainness of the building. That comes across well I think.
Brian Moore
Moderator
I like it too, Allan. The tones are beautiful.
Allan Batchelor
Well-Known Member
Cheers Pete n Brian. Id love to get in and take a few but these old kirks tend to be locked up tight and only get used every other week as theres normally a few within spitting distance from the old farm days. The nearest ones to this are probably Kinettles or Murroes which I suppose should be my kirk as thats where my parents used to go lol. Might get some photos of these 2 when im off 
Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
I've been inside The Murroes kirk...
Some fifteen years ago I recorded the earliest-known Scottish cittern music, written in a mid-17th-century manuscript by Robert Edwards, kirk minister of The Murroes, who was also a councillor in Dundee. So, quite naturally, I paid the place a visit, just at the scaling o the kirk, which means when the parishioners were leaving after a service. They let me have a quick look inside - I recall lots of beautiful wood, though not much else - the minister was trying to get rid of me, as he had to close up and haste onwards to deliver a sermon at the next parish. They now have one minister for several parishes. I wasn't too fussed about not being allowed a detailed exploration of the place, as it was built on the ruins of the kirk Robert Edwards knew.
For a minister, the music is quite racy: "She roued me in her apron", "John Come Kisse me noue", "Sweet smelling Katie loues me", etc.
Here are the recordings I made 15 years ago: https://soundcloud.com/robmackillop/sets/17th-century-scottish-cittern
Some fifteen years ago I recorded the earliest-known Scottish cittern music, written in a mid-17th-century manuscript by Robert Edwards, kirk minister of The Murroes, who was also a councillor in Dundee. So, quite naturally, I paid the place a visit, just at the scaling o the kirk, which means when the parishioners were leaving after a service. They let me have a quick look inside - I recall lots of beautiful wood, though not much else - the minister was trying to get rid of me, as he had to close up and haste onwards to deliver a sermon at the next parish. They now have one minister for several parishes. I wasn't too fussed about not being allowed a detailed exploration of the place, as it was built on the ruins of the kirk Robert Edwards knew.
For a minister, the music is quite racy: "She roued me in her apron", "John Come Kisse me noue", "Sweet smelling Katie loues me", etc.
Here are the recordings I made 15 years ago: https://soundcloud.com/robmackillop/sets/17th-century-scottish-cittern
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Rob MacKillop
Edinburgh Correspondent
I've just scanned a photo I must have taken at the time, showing Rhona and Susan in the graveyard of The Murroes' kirk. This was long before I "took up" photography, but I'm very pleased with it. They are both drawing flowers...
I can't find the other photos I took that day, presumably of the kirk itself. Too bad.
I can't find the other photos I took that day, presumably of the kirk itself. Too bad.
Allan Batchelor
Well-Known Member
Some interesting stones in the graveyard as well
Douglas McMann
Well-Known Member
Great tonality Allan...a fine looking traditional Scottish Kirk...
