The Church Buildings
THE CHURCH
THE building which was demolished in January,1791 was much lower in height than its successor, though one of the plans of reparation drawn up in 1790 indicates that its ground dimensions, 80 feet by 57 feet over walls, were quite large. The western end, which was attached to the tower, was the pre- Reformation church which had been extended eastwards in the middle of the 17th century to accommodate a growing congregation. In May, 1643 we find the Kirk Session instructing James Mudie "to go to Dundee and buy alse mony stanes als he can have and fraught ane boatt, and send them aboutt als soon as possible they cane cum, fcr to build the new church". He was also to approach "ye skippers for yair boattis for bringing of stanes fra the Craig to ye kirk", which indicates that some of the material used in the building was the local black stone known as Scurdyrock. Even as late as 1790 the eastern section of the church was referred to as the "new church".
The only description which we have of the old building at the end of its life is a brief entry by the Reverend Alexander Mollison in the Statistical Account: "The old church of Montrose was a Gothic structure, rendered very gloomy and irregular by large additions to the galleries and to the building itself. lt was originally, however, venerable and well-proportioned". The evidence from Session records indicates that the interior of the church
presented a chaotic scene. The floor area was cluttered with a variety of pews, desks and stools with the pulpit and the pillar and stool of repentance occupying prominent positions. Fastened to the walls and mounted on wooden pillars at a higher level were the lofts and galleries of the Magistrates, Heritors and lncorporated Trades of the town, some with individual access by stair or ladder. The walls of the church were white-washed, and it seems probable that, apart from memorial stones and carved features on the pews of some of the wealthier members, the only significant piece of decoration was the hearse or chandelier which graces the church to this day. The hearse was gifted to the church in 1624 by Richard Clark, a
native of Montrose who had risen to the rank of vice-admiral in the navy of the great Swedish king, Gustavus Adolphus. He wished it to be seen as "ane littil ornament of his love" for his native town. The famous 16th century carved oak panels known as the Montrose Panels, now lodged in the Scottish National Museum of Antiquities, may at some tirne have been a feature of the parish church, but there is no clear evidence that they were part of the furnishings in 1790.
The provision of seats for the worshippers was, to a large extent, a matter for individual members or families or groups. The Session owned some pews in the floor area and seating in at least one loft, the rental from which was devoted to the relief of the poor. Most of the seating, however, was installed and managed privately, and this was reflected in the variety of design. Those members who could not afford to rent or install seating carried their own small stools or simply stood throughout the lengthy services.
Some impression of the confusion which existed over seating and of the problems to which it gaverise can be gained from the minutes of Session:-
A SEAT FOR THE MINISTER'S WlFE
"They ordaine yt ye dask where the Laird of Balmadies sate to be ane proper seatt for ye
Minister's wyffes to sit in and non to come there without their Licence. This done with full consent ofye haill Sessione."
April 15, 1634.
SITING A DESK
"lt is ordainit yt ye Laird of Larranstown's (Lauiston) dask be sett in ye east side of ye pillar of ye Quier and yt ye back of ye said dask be taken down that there be no prejudice to any who shall build any seatt or dask to hinder them from the sight of the Minister."
October 16,1641.
SEATS BUILT WITHOUT APPROVAL
"The Sessione taking to consideratione that sundries have built some seatts for themselfs