Auchterhouse Community & Parish - History

The present church replaced the medieval building, dedicated to the Virgin Mary, in 1775.

The well-kept burial ground has been little disturbed, at least since the 19th century when twelve stones were leaned against the boundary wall, thus preserving their carving on that side. It is said that members of the noble families of Buchan, Airlie and Glamis were buried within the old kirk but there are no monuments remaining.

The following are a selection of gravestone inscriptions.The complete gravestone inscriptions for the church are to be found in Alison Mitchell's publication on hte gravestones of Angus

ERECTED BY JAMES JAMIESON
AND HIS WIFE MARGARET STEWART
IN MEMORY OF THEIR SON DAVID JAMIESON
WHO DIED APRIL 5 1853 AGED 21 YEARS.
THE ABOVE MARGARET STEWART
DIED 24 MARCH 1874 AGED 65 YEARS.
THE ABOVE JAMES JAMIESON
DIED 21 NOVEMBER 1893 AGED 84 YEARS
ALSO JANET JOHNSTON
WHO DIED MAY 14TH 1920
WIFE OF JAMES JAMIESON JNR
JAMES JAMIESON JNR
DIED 5TH JUNE 1938 AGED 82.
AND GEORGINA ANDERSON JAMIESON
WIFE OF REV. JOHN MURRAY
DIED 14 OCTOBER 1948 AGED 98

ERECTED BY WILLIAM CHALMERS
MANUFACTURER DRONLY
IN MEMORY OF JANET ANDERSON HIS SPOUSE
WHO DIED 4 DEC 1826 AGED 35 YEARS.
ALSO ALEXANDER CHALMERS HIS FATHER
WHO DIED 16 FEB 1826 AGED 77 YEARS
WILLIAM CHALMERS DIED 7 AUGUST 1873 AGED 85 YEARS
ALSO HIS WIFE ANN CLARK
WHO DIED 1885 AGED 85 YEARS

ERECTED BY ANN AND CLEMENTINA HILL
IN MEMOREY OF THEIR FATHER
JAMES HILL WRIGHT AUCHTERHOUSE
WHO DIED 4TH NOVEMBER 1853 AGED 57 YEARS
AND ALSO THEIR MOTHER CLEMENTINA SCOTT
WHO DIED 27TH DECEMBER 1860 AGED 60 YEARS
AND OF THEIR SISTER MARGRET
WHO DIED IN INFANCY
AND OF THEIR NEPHEW PETER HILL
WHO DIED 27TH MARCH 1861 AGED 5 YEARS

IN LOVING MEMORY OF JAMES COX
LATE STATION-MASTER AUCHTERHOUSE
DIED 7TH JULY 1891, IN HIS 90TH YEAR
HIS WIFE BETSY STEWART
DIED 28TH OCTOBER, 1890, IN HER 90TH YEAR.
THEIR DAUGHTER, GRACE
DIED 14TH JULY 1829. AGED 9 MONTHS.
THEIR SON JAMES DIED AT TRICHONOPLY, INDIA
4TH SEPTEMBER 1871 IN HIS 34TH YEAR

ERECTED BY JOHN ROBERTSON
SCHOOLMASTER AUCHTERHOUSE
IN MEMORY OF HIS ONLY SON JOHN
WHO DIED 13 NOV 1890 AGED 16 YEARS
AND HIS ELDER DAUGHTER ELIZABETH MITCHELL
WHO DIED 26 NOV 1890 AGED 21 YEARS
ALSO HIS YOUNGER DAUGHTER JANE LAING
WHO DIED 6 JULY 1900 AGED 27 YEARS
THE ABOVE JOHN ROBERTSON F.E.I.S.
FROM 36 YEARS, 1866-1904,
SCHOOLMASTER AT AUCHTERHOUSE
DIED AT DUNDEE ON 31ST AUGUST 1914
IN THE 76TH YEAR OF HIS AGE.
ELIZABETH PRINGLE
WIFE OF THE ABOVE JOHN ROBERTSON
DIED AT DUNDEE ON 24 JUNE 1915
IN THE 78th YEAR OF HER AGE

ERECTED BY AGNES ANDERSON
WIFE OF DAVID MONCUR
SOMETIME FARMER EASTFIELD
DIED 20 NOVEMBER 1760 AGED 76,
KNOW READER, THAT THIS STONE COVERS THE REMAINS OF A WORTHY HONEST MAN, OF A LOVING HUSBAND AND PARENT, AND INTELLIGENT FARMER, A CHEERFUL COMPANION, AN USEFUL NEIGHBOUR, ONE UNCOMMONLY WELL BEHAVED IN HIS STATION, REGULAR IN WORSHIP, CHEERFUL IN LIFE AND RESIGNED AT DEATH; WHO DIED REGRETTED BY HIS RELATIVES AND BY EVERYONE WHO HAD ACCESS TO KNOW HIS REAL WORTH

ERECTED BY JANET MEARNS
WIFE OF JAMES STUART
INDWELLER THE COTTOUN OF OCHTERHOUSE
DIED NOVEMBER 1730 AGED 62
IN FOREIGN LANDS WHERE MEN WITH WAR ENGAGE
HE WAS SARVISING AT MANEY A BLOODY SAIGE
AND WAS PRESERVED UNHURT
YE GATHERED TO HIS REST IN GOOD OLD AGE -
WHO TRUSTS IN GOD IS BLIST

HEIR LYES ANE GODLY AND VERTOUS MAN
JAMES CHRISTIE OF BALBUCHLIE
WHO DIED 20 DECEMBER 1651 AGED 97
"dulce fuit quondam mihi viverse; non quis vixi, sed quoniam ut vival tunc moriturus eram"