The Sad Demise Of An Historic Part of Crieff : PART FOUR

 The Old Parish Church in Church Street Crieff

July 2014

PART FOUR

The old grave yard in Church  ceased  to function  away back in 1853  when the present one in Ford road opened  There were a number of interments after that date  where families  had  purchased  burial lairs  from the Parish Kirk . In the 1990s Perth  and Kinross Council acting as the responsible party for the maintenance of the churchyard , advertised in the local press that any one who held  burial rights in the ground were required  to contact them pending the removal of a number of stones / memorials .

Fortunately the  churchyard had  been surveyed in August 1972  by Allison Mitchell and her  father , assisted  by the late Marshall Sloan a well known local worthy . Some  134 memorials  were listed and it would  appear that in or around 500 individuals had been laid to rest in the  churchyard over a 200 year or  longer period . 

As a result of their “ initiative “ , the Council proceeded with the removal of the majority of  stones ( destination “ unknown “ ) and realigned those remaining in a neat row parallel to the western boundary on Church Street . A number  of “ stumps “ and a few inscribed  stones  located  to the rear and side of the old church  were left . The “ stumps “ were just simple markers carrying only the initials  of the deceased and  no further identifying marks . The  full transcript  of the 1972  survey   together  with a  allocation plan  was published by the Scottish Genealogy Society  in 1975 and reprinted in 2000 in a  volume entitled “ South Perthshire Lower Strathearn  Monumental Inscriptions  Pre 1855 .”

From the 1990s  the Council exercised its adopted  responsibility for the graveyard  cutting the grass on a regular  basis and  planting a hedge on the western entrance  to the church . It also until 2013 cut and maintained  these hedges .Sadly and regrettably  in 2013  the Council reneged its  civic duties and responsibilities regarding the maintenance

The sad spectacle  that is currently advertised  as  being part of Crieff’s heritage Trail ( red plaque  at the Church Street gate ) is a civic  disgrace The church has  been vandalised  in June / July 2014 and many windows and  frames smashed leaving  the building exposed to the elements . It is a shocking renaging  of civic responsibility that it has been allowed  to reach this level of decrepitude . Money  can  be found  to paint lamp posts  but sadly not the critical maintenance  of Crieff’s cradle !

Below  are a few of the individuals  buried  here in this churchyard – an interesting selection of  people and  names – names  which many of  you will still recognise in our old town .

John Ferguson , feuar and mason , Bridgend Crieff died 23 Sep 1840 aged 51 erected  by his widow and family

William Gouans ( Gowans ),  wife Janet Moray , daughter Jean 30 Feb 1757 aged 22 .

James McGibbon 1728 1802 , wife Jean Rogie 1750  1810 ,  son Peter born 1785 died Glasgow interred there 1812 , son John 23 Oct 1855 ( wife Helen Morrison 1794 , 10 Sep 1852 , only daughter Jean 1826 , 10 Dec 1828 )

( Railed ) Thomas Wright died Perth 5 Mar 1849 aged 49 wife Helen Porteous died Crieff Apr 1884 aged  85  ( also wife of Rev James Walker  of Muthill ) , son Thomas Alex died here 11 Dec 1846  aged 9 years , daughter Grace Thorburn died here 21 Dec 1847  aged 6 years .

( Stone  with besom and shovel – the sign of  a maltman ) David Porteous  , innkeeper  Crieff , wife  Ellis Brown  died  25 Mar 1778  aged 62 , children Christian , Janet , David , John , James , Ann, Effie and Mary and four grand children . In memory of John  ( son of David Porteous Crieff )  died 24 Jul  1834 in 32^nd year , by his widow.

Captain Francis Lewis O’Beirne  died Crieff 17 Jul  1840 .

John McIntyre , surgeon Muthill died 27 Dec 1855 aged 68 wife Isabella  Riddell died  17 Dec  1872 aged 84. Son , Rev William , preacher of the Gospel died  17 Jan 1855 aged 28 , four children died in infancy , son Rev AJ McIntyre died Muthill  22 Jan 1861  aged  46 .

William Fachniey ( sic) mason ,Crieff, wife  Kath McLaren  died 19 Jan 1803  aged 69.

( Flat stone ) David Wooderspoon , wright and fewar in Crieff died  22 Jul  1761  aged 52 , Ann Sharp died 19 Oct  1790  aged 79 , son  John , late in Mains of  Dargall died  13 Feb 1802 aged 62  ( square and dividers )

Rev Alex Young of Logiealmond , wife  Ellen Fenton died 18 Jan 1844, son Rev William B , minister UP Congregation  Ceres Fife died 29 Sep 1857 .

James Arnott farmer  Dallerie died  7 Mar  1868 aged 62, wife Isabella McEwan  died 25 Oct 1899 aged 77 . by family .

( Flat stone ) Thomas Caw in Milnab died 11 Jul  1747aged 77 , wife Isobell Paton died 15 Nov 1730 age ( not readable )

John McRostie , mail contractor Crieff died  suddenly of cholera at Glasgow  23 Jan 1849 aged 28 , uncle , John Clow , chaplain Stirling Castle , by surviving  parents , brothers and sisters .

William Graham , farmer Hosh and Culcrieff died Hosh 23 Jan 1854 aged 70 , wife Euphemia Comrie died here  22 Mar 1862 aged 75 . Children , William Graham 7 Aug 1815 age  2 years, Peter  died  14 Jan 1854 aged 31 , John died  Jul 1854  aged 37.

Donald MComish . indigo planter Gorruckpore died here 5 Sep 1851 aged 50.

John Tainsh vintner Crieff died  16 Feb 1784 aged  56 by his family.

David Paton flax dresser Crieff, wife Mary Mitchell  died 6 Feb 1764 aged 44.

( Flat stone ) Rev James Barlass of Crieff, son James Barlass officer in the sea service of HEICS died Crieff 16 Oct 1814 aged 41( rope and anchor )

Andrew Clow of Crieff Vechter  died 8 May1805 aged 66 by wife Catherine Stiven .

James Millar builder Crieff born Mar 1744 died 21 Feb 1839, wife Mary Clow born 21 Apr 1776 died 13 Oct 1857, by son Andrew , merchant Crieff.