Lamloch Free Church
Woodhead Leadmine owner Colonel McAdam was deeply concerned about his workers' housing and education but did not share their religious views.
Many of the early miners sympathised with the Free Church after the disruption of 1843.
A meeting was held at the Carsphairn church to see how many would be interested in setting up a Free Church.
Report from the Dumfries Standard May 3rd 1843 -
"A large meeting of the friends of the Church of Scotland was held in the parish church here on the evening of Wednesday last. The Rev. David Welsh, minister of the parish opened the meeting with praise and a very approprate prayers after which the Rev. Patrick Borrowman of Glencairn and Messrs Russel and Ross, from Edinburgh, respectively addressed the meeting.
The marked attention with which the audience listened to the explanations and vindication of the principles for which the Evangelical party in the church are intending, evinced the deep interest which they take in the cause.
The people in this quarter have now taken the first steps towards the formation of a Free Presbyterian Church, and we have reason to believe that, had the great principles for which the Church is contending been brought before the sooner, much greater progress would by this time have been made".
As Colonel McAdam Cathcart would not allow them to meet at the mines, nor on any land he owned, a neighbouring landowner, Mr James MacMillan of Lamloch, allowed them to worship in his kitchen. As numbers grew, he granted them a site on his farm close ot the march dykes with Woodhead, and in January 1844 they decided to raise the money to build a church with the help of members and adherents of Dalmellington Free Church.
Extracts from an article written in the Ayrshire Post 8th August 1913:
On 28th April 1843 Rev. David Welsh presided at a general meeting held in the Old Washing Floor at Woodhead consisting of members of the Free Church to find out who wanted to join. On 29th April elders and three deacons signed minutes of procedure. The first trouble was that they had nowhere to meet but Mr James McMillan, Lamloch agreed to let them worship on his ground. Then they asked Colonel Cathcart for a site to build a church. He refused so Mr McMillan let them meet in Lamloch Kitchen. This was very uncomfortable so on January 10th 1844 they decided to raise money for the building. On March 20th Carsphairn aksed members and adherents of Dalmellington Free Church if they would help them build a church at Lamloch and they agreed to this.
The Church of Scotland (Carsphairn) Kirk Session minutes of 2nd July 1843 records the following:
At the same sederunt the Session took into consideration the resignation formerly made by Hugh MacCulloch one of their number of the Office of Elder in the Established Church and his resolution of joining the party who had seceded from the Church. As there were no accounts of any change of mind on his part the Session declare him as separated from the Established Church. The Session closed with prayer.
David Welsh Moderator
CONSTRUCTION OF LAMLOCH CHURCH
The advertisement shown here (click on illustration to expand) was placed in the 'Dumfries Standard' in July 1844. The foundation stone was laid on 28th August that same year. Mrs McMillan of Lamloch provided the pulpit bible and in the Deacons court it was agreed to allow Mr McMillan to have the privilege of taking the front seats in the Church. The ladies of the congregation agreed to cover the pulpit with blue Presbyterian cloth.
Members of the Church of Scotland left to join the Free Church. Many of the miners who came from Wanlockhead and Leadhills were already members before they came to Carsphairn.
This building was constructed of whinstone and resembled two conjoined pitched roof structures, each with a Norman style window/door at the front gable, and probably a single door in the centre. 3 curved-top windows were spaced down each side.
By 1845 there were 91 members from the lead mines and 18 from the village on the communicants roll.
The Communion Roll Book of Lamloch Church shows how the population moved.
In the early 1850's when production slumped, there were men 'laid-off'. As a result the population of Woodhead fell dramatically.
Many miners and their families moved back to Wanlockhead but several families emigrated to America.
The church was used as place of worship for 23 years; it was described as being out of use by sometime soon after 1867 when the congregation amalgamated with Dalmellington that year.
On 22nd March 1876 it reverted back to the proprietor in the terms of the original agreement.
From the Annals of the Free Church of Scotland 1843-1900, Ed. Rev. William Ewing DD Pub. 1914
‘The Free Church – Dalmellington…..This congregation was formed of adherents of the Free Church in Carsphairn and Dalmellington. In both parishes’ preparation had been made in view of the Disruption. In Carsphairn the movement was led by the parish minister, who finally remained in the establishment. At first the whole district from Dalrymple to Carsphairn, was put under charge of Mr Spiers of Patna. The Carsphairn part of the congregation met in houses, barns or on the hillside until 1844, when the church was built at Lamloch. Those at Dalmellington worshipped in a small schoolroom, then in a dwelling house which had been turned into a hall. The church was erected in 1851, and the manse in 1853’.
Those who were members of Free Church went to Lamloch Free Church in Dalmellington. Rev. Edward Hyman was joint minister from 1845 and continued in Dalmellington until 1879.
This church and manse can be seen in the main street in Dalmellington between the bank and the area offices (the former in use as a scout hall). It is still known to many as the Lamloch Kirk.
As there was no consecrated ground at Lamloch, burials were held in Carsphairn or later at Dalmellington.
Both branches of the church worked well together. Hyman preached in Dalmellington in the morning and in Carsphairn in the afternoon. Carsphairn contributed far more liberally to the Sustenation Fund than did Dalmellington.
After Lamloch Church closed in 1867 it quickly became a ruin for in 1888 it was said -
"There were the ruins of a Free Church, which, however were devoted to pastoral purposes being used as a sheep pen by the farmer on whose ground it was."
Now it is but a few courses of rubble in the undergrowth.