South Church

The story of the South Church begins in the year 1834 when plans to form a congregation of the Free Church from the congregations of the parish churches of Dunnottar and Fetteresso were being discussed. These plans came to fruition and on the 30th August, Captain Burnett of Monboddo laid the foundation stone.

On 12th November, the first church building was opened by Thomas Chalmers, a leader of the Free Church and one of the great churchmen of Scottish history. At this time, the congregation had a membership of 167, which, by the following summer had risen to 256. The first minister of the congregation was Rev. George Philips DD., who was ordained by the Presbytery of Fordoun on the 9th November 1843.

By the 1860’s, the church building was giving cause for concern and it was agreed to build a new church on the site of the former church. It was dedicated on the 11th April 1869.

In 1895, Mr. William Mowat bought a site next to the church and a hall was built. The hall has now been extended and refurbished providing suitable, modern accommodation for the congregation and members of the community.

In 1900, the Free Church and the United Presbyterian Church united to form the United Free Church. In Stonehaven the congregation of the Free Church (South) and the U. P. Church in Ann Street, united and became two congregations of the U. F. Church, which in 1928 came together to form one congregation. Then in 1929, the U. F. and the Church of Scotland reunited and the South Church came into being as a Church of Scotland church.

In 1990, the Presbytery of Kincardine and Deeside asked the congregation to consider the possibility of linking with the congregation of Kinneff, which, after prayer and discussion, they were pleased to do.

During the past 156 years, 12 ministers have served in the first and present church.

In all the changes that the life of the South Church has seen, its members have sought, as did those who founded the congregation in 1843, to remain faithful to God in their desire to serve Him and the community of Stonehaven.