Laing and Chapelknowe

[KeiDun]

I can find little information on historic Chapleknowe on the Web. A Reverend Andrew Laing was the minister of the United Presbyterian Church, Chapelknowe, Dumfriesshire, as written in his father's will, in 1898. I gather that this all changed in 1900, as in an 1902 extract of the will he accepted the role of Trustee and signed "before these witnesses Ina Nicholson, Domestic Servant, and Jessie Laing, my wife, both residing at the United Presbyterian, now the United Free Manse Chapelknowe aforesaid." Does this building still exist. Has it been converted to a residence? Is there any connection to the church(es) at Half Morton? I can find nothing on his marriage to Jessie, his death or to the birth of his two girls. Any leads would be appreciated.

[down-under]

Hell

Do you have this??


1901

Registration Number 828 ED 3 Page 3

Half Morton Dumfrieshire

Address U F Manse


Andrew Laing age 39 born Aberdeen Aberdeenshire Minister of U F Church
Jessie Laing wife age 38 born St Andrews Fifeshire
Esther Bradford Laing dau age 12 born Half Morton
Christini F M Laing dau age 10 born Half Morton
Jessie Hay Laing dau age 7 born Half Morton
Thomasina Cathichlson?? servant This must be the Witness Ina Nicholson

Pam

[down-under]

You Proberly have this
1891

Registration number 828 ED 3 Page 3

Half Morton Dumfriesshire
Address U P Church Chapelknowe R P Manse

Andrew Laing age 29 Minister of Chapelknowe United Presbyterian Church born Aberdeen Aberdeenshire

Jessie wife age 28 wife born St Andrews Fifeshire
Esther Bradford Laing dau age 2 Half Morton
Christina Mary Taggart Laing age 9 months
Williamina Kean servant

Pam

[Gadget]

Regarding the U P Church House/Manse - a Google search suggests that it is/was for sale but I can't find it when I go to the link:

http://www.property.org.uk/unique/ch.html

It might well have been and old link and the church house has been sold

Gadget

[KeiDun]

Hi:

I visited the Chat room right after my post and someone there also gave me the census data, Down Under.   Thanks, as well, for your posting.  It was not information I had before the posting.

Yes, Gadget, I have also seen the links to that property and understand it may have changed hands.  There was also a lovely presentation on the BBC about that exact property, showing many of the unique features inside.  What is not clear to me is whether Half Morton and Chapelknowe are the same place.  If so, then I would assume that this was his church.  However, would the Manse be different than the church, itself?  The property that has been listed is clearly a church that has been renovated, with a cemetary as the front lawn.   I always thought a Manse was a separate building to house a family of the Minister.

Many thanks for your replies.

[Gadget]

It did refer to Half Morton Church House, Keidun, so I'm assuming that it meant the Manse. It'svery odd though 

Gadget

[boswells]

To fill some of the gaps.  Chapelknowe is the principal village (more like a hamlet) in Half Morton parish. My parent were married there in 1929 when it was the Free Church.  I'm not sure that there ever was an 'Established' Church of Scotland.   This Church merged back into the Church of Scotland around 1929/30.  Half Morton Parish is the Scottish half of the parish of Morton the other part is in England and the split took place in about the 16th Century when land whose ownership had been disputed for many years was finally divided between the countries. If you are interested in burial places in the parish there is also a long deserted churchyard at Kirkbankhead which is on Sark Tower Farm.  The famous reiver Kinmount Willie Armstrong is thought to be buried there.
Boswells