St Cuthbert's Church, originally called the parish of Hailes, was founded in 1095 by Ethelred, Earl of Fife, son of King Malcolm III. The church came under the authority of Dunfermline Abbey and in 1234 this was confirmed in a Papal Bull from Pope Gregory.[1]
In 1248 a rebuilt church was dedicated by David De Bernham but is thought to have been destroyed during the English invasion of 1544. The present church site has existed since 1636 and was rebuilt in 1771 and 1907.[2]
A church has stood on the site for approximately 1000 years, but the current building was constructed and opened in 1908.[3] Later, a new adjacent church hall was added in the 1990s.
The current church was redesigned in 1907-8 by the architect Sydney Mitchell. The church incorporates the tower from the old church, which had been designed by David Bryce and built in 1837. The interior has a neo-Byzantine design, with pink sandstone columns.[4]
In 2001 the congregation had a roll of 1175 members, making it one of the largest church congregations by membership in the Church of Scotland.[5]
Ministers
Several former ministers have served as Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, most recently the Very Reverend Dr William Bryce Johnston (in 1980). The minister is currently the Rev. Rolf Billes. The previous minister was the Reverend Dr George Whyte, who demitted the charge (resigned) in September 2008 to become Clerk to the Church of Scotland's Presbytery of Edinburgh.[1]
Peter Hewat MA from 1596 to 1598
James Thomson MA (d.1635) from 1598 to 1634
William Ogston MA, formerly regent of Marischal College from 1635 to 1639
Thomas Garvine from 1639 to 1649
Alexander Livingston (d.1660) from 1650 to 1659
Robert Bennet (d.1709) from 1659 to 1681
Thomas Murray from 1682 to 1685
Samuel Nimmo MA (d.1717) from 1686 to 1691
James Thomson from 1694 to 1696 then translated to Elgin
Thomas Paterson from 1697 to 1699 then translated to St Cuthbert's in Edinburgh
Walter Allan MA (d.1732) from 1700 to 1732
George Gibson (1706-1746) from 1733 to 1746
John Hyndman from 1746 to 1752 when he translated to St Cuthbert's (Moderator in 1761)
A cemetery was added in the late 19th century, to the south of the historic graveyard. This area contains the village war memorial. A relatively rare Norwegian war grave lies in the southern section towards the centre.
