History
The Disruption and St. Mary’s
The 1843 Disruption
When the Church of Scotland was split in two by the Disruption in 1843, Reverend John McMillan left the Parish Church and became the first minister of Kirkcudbright Free Church, which was afterwards called St Mary’s. The Disruption came about because there was a split between those who maintained that the lairds should have the right to choose the ministers and those who felt it was up to congregations to decide this. After years of dissension the General Assembly drew up a Claim of Right which was presented to the government in 1842. According to this the Kirk had complete spiritual independence and the state had no right to interfere in spiritual matters. The government refused to accept this and so at the General Assembly of 1843 a walk out took place and the Free Church of Scotland was born. In all, four hundred and seventy ministers left the Kirk at this time accompanied by many elders, communicants, and adherents.
History of St Mary’s
At the time of the Disruption in 1843 there was also in Kirkcudbright an Associate Church which had been founded by the Seceders in 1820. In 1847 it became known as the United Presbyterian Church of Kirkcudbright. So at this point in history there were three churches in Kirkcudbright: the Parish Church in its present building; Kirkcudbright Free Church; and the United Presbyterian Church which moved from High Street to a new building in St Cuthbert’s Street in 1880 (the present site of Somerfield supermarket). In 1900 this last Church took the name of St Cuthbert’s United Free Church and amalgamated with Kirkcudbright Free Church to form the United Free Church of Kirkcudbright, with worship being held in the St Mary’s building. Finally in 1929 this Church became known as St Mary’s Parish Church, the same year in which the Parish Church became St Cuthbert’s Parish Church.
In 1929 the minister appointed to St. Mary’s was the Rev Robert R Y B Minto and under his guidance the congregation flourished. Many improvements took place such as the redecoration of the Church and the re-laying of the ground around the church hall. Mr Minto’s ministry was a long one and he remained at St Mary’s until April 1966 when he was succeeded by the Rev James (Hamish) Hepburn.
Mr Hepburn came to Kirkcudbright with his wife and young family after having served for some years with the Presbyterian church of East Africa in Malawi. His ministry was one of quiet, sincere dedication and the wishes of the whole community, not simply those of St Mary’s, went with him and his family when he moved to his new charge in Braco.
More detailed information on the history of St Mary’s can be found in the excellent booklet "St Mary’s Church of Scotland, Kirkcudbright - A short account of its Origin and History" written by Joseph Robison F.S.A.(Scotland) in 1938. There is at least one copy of this in the Stewartry Museum in Kirkcudbright.