A Corpus of Scottish Medieval
Parish Churches

Historical outline

Dedication: unknown

What appears to be the earliest surviving reference to the church of Morham is a note of its dedication by Bishop David de Bernham of St Andrews on 9 March 1245.(1)  In the accounts of the papal tax-collector in Scotland in 1275, the rector of ‘Morame’ was recorded as having paid two merks 5s 4d in taxation.(2)  Morham remained an independent parsonage throughout the fourteenth century but what appears to be the first record of a named rector occurs only in 1397-8 when one John of Strathavon, rector of Morham, occurs as a witness to a charter concerning the nearby church of Bothans.(3)  Its independence, however, ended in 1421 when the revenues of the church, both parsonage and vicarage, were annexed to a prebend in the new collegiate church of Bothan, with a chaplain with a ‘suitable portion’ (unspecified) being appointed to serve the cure.(4)  It is unclear, however, if the union was immediately effective or if the incumbent became the canon and prebendary in the collegiate church since in 1445 it emerges that John of Stathavon was still in possession and described as ‘rector of Morham’.(5)  At that date John gave the value of the church as £12 sterling per annum.  He was still in possession as rector in 1447 but disappears, presumably dying, shortly thereafter.(6)

Rectors of Morham, presumably prebendaries of the collegiate church, are named in the 1450s, when it was also established that the patronage of the church lay with the family of Hay of Talla.(7)  Archibald Tod, vicar of Morham and a pebendary in St Giles’ in Edinburgh, occurs in 1524, but in 1556 the church was being served by only a curate, named as Thomas Dairly.(8)  The union with the collegiate church remained effective at the Reformation, when the parsonage was held by Thomas Godrell and set for £50.(9)  There is no reference to the provision made for the curate at that date although it was noted that £16 from the parsonage was assigned for the support of the minister and reader.

Notes

1. A O Anderson (ed), Early Sources of Scottish History, ii (Edinburgh, 1922), 525 [Pontifical Offices of St Andrews].

2. A I Dunlop (ed), ‘Bagimond’s Roll: Statement of the Tenths of the Kingdom of Scotland’, Miscellany of the Scottish History Society, vi (1939), 34.

3. Calendar of Writs Preserved at Yester House, 1166-1625, eds C Harvey and J McLeod (Scottish Record Society, 1930), no.40 [hereafter Yester Writs].

4. Yester Writs, no.45.

5. Calendar of Scottish Supplications to Rome, iv, 1433-1447, eds A I Dunlop and D MacLauchlan (Glasgow, 1983), no.1183.

6. Yester Writs, no.85.

7. Yester Writs, no.118.

8. NRS Haddington Burgh Protocol Books, James Meldrum, 1520-33, B30/1/1, fol. 80; NRS Protocol Book of Thomas Stevin, 1548-1565, B30/1/5, fol. 157.

9. J Kirk (ed), The Books of Assumption of the Thirds of Benefices (Oxford, 1995), 170-171.

Summary of relevant documentation

Medieval

Synopsis of Cowan’s Parishes: A prebend of the collegiate church of Yester/Bothans in 1421, the cure was  served by a chaplain thereafter.(1)

1397-8 John de Strathavane, rector of Morham witnesses a charter in Bothans kirk.(2)

1421 Annexed to Bothans on its erection as a college, chaplain to serve church with an honest portion (no specific).(3)

1445 John de Strathauen described as rector, value £12.(4)

1447 Charter by Alicia Hay, for God, Blessed Virgin Mary and St Cuthbert making bequest to chaplain of altar of Blessed Virgin Mary. Witnessed by Richard Knowlis, vicar of Bothans, John Ker vicar of Haddington, John de Strathhavane, rector of Morham.(5)

1457 Edmund Hay of Talow patron; collates John Young, vicar of Strathmartine to kirk of Morham vacant by resignation of John Maxwell.(6)

1524 Archibald Tod, vicar of Morham and prebend of St Giles? [may be Mertoun, writing is unclear].(7)

1547 Robert Hoppringall rector of the church.(8)

1556 Thomas Dairly, curate of Morham, witnesses a financial transaction between John Hopping and Margaret Hepburn in his church.(9)

Post-medieval

Books of assumption of thirds of benefices and Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices: The Parish church parsonage of held by Thomas Godrell, set for £50. Vicar paid £16.(10)

Account of Collectors of Thirds of Benefices (G. Donaldson): Third of parsonage £16 13s 4d.(11)

1589 (9 July) Supplication to Presbytery of Haddington by the parishioners of Morham asks for advice over the dispute between Daniel Wallace (minister) at Morham and Patrick Anderson, dwelling in the kirk (holder of teind scheaves); visitation ordered. The visitation on 16 Oct of the same year, notes that repairs are required [not specified].(12)

1652 (7 Sept) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Haddington, noted that nothing could be done anent the repair of the church and manse at Morham as none of the heritors were present but that the minister would press for more speedy repair.(13) 29 Sept report on a discussion with heritors of Morham notes that a new manse is to be built, 1000m stipend to be organised; the main heritor George Seaton, notes that the kirk is already under repair.(14) On 20 Oct a further note to the presbytery that George Seaton is to presently repair the kirk and had spoken to workmen for that affect.(15)

1666 (7 June) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Haddington, the minister being asked whether there was anything he desired the presbytery advise; he replied that the church stood ‘in great need of reparation’. The heritors promised to repair the church and a group was designated to meet with a slater. (Lord Kinghorn noted that he is the patron of the church).(16)

1673 (27 Aug) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Haddington, finds the fabric of the church stands in need of reparation, that the minister has no manse, no school and no utensils for sacraments.(17)

1674 (6 May) Report of a meeting held by the heritors of the church, Andrew Melville (minister), Robert Hamilton of Beid and Gilbert Storie of Kirkhill (main heritors); it is found and agreed that the church was in need of repair and the church yard walls stand in need of help, workmen report that £200 scots are required.(18)

1675 (28 Jan) Further discussion anent the union of Barra and Morham, the archbishop of St Andrews suggests that there is an urgent necessity for the union.(19) [Nothing came of it]

1676 (13 July) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Haddington notes that the fabric of the church is insufficient and needs reparation as is evident; there is also no manse and also that money has been taken from the poor box for repairing the church.(20)

#1681 Within the belfry hangs a bell, fifteen and a half inches in diameter at the lip, and twelve and a quarter inches high, which is inscribed ‘Sir James Stansfield Donum’ejus, 1681. It is thought to have been cast in Holland.(21)

1684 (5 June) Visitation of the church by the Presbytery of Haddington finds that the church stands in need of reparation; the minister has had some problems getting hold of the money from the heritors for mending the steeple and hanging the bell (brethren to speak to the heritors).(22)

#1685 Although the present church was built in 1724 the belfry over the west gable dates from 1685 and is of the Renaissance style.(23)

#1724 [nothing in the kirk session or presbytery records regarding the new church built in that year]

Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev Mr Carfrae): [No reference to church buildings]

New Statistical Account of Scotland (Rev James Forsyth, 1837): ‘No record exists of when it [the parish church] was first built, but it was taken down and rebuilt in the former situation in 1724’.(24)

Architecture of Scottish Post-Reformation Churches (George Hay): 1724, recast internally, 1681 bell. Built in 1724, but much altered internally, has an elegant Renaissance frontispiece to its north aisle.(25)

Notes

1. Cowan, The parishes of medieval Scotland, 152.

2. Yester Writs, no. 40.

3. Yester Writs, no.55.

4. CSSR, iv, no. 1183.

5. Yester Writs, no. 85.

6. Yester Writs, no. 118.

7. NRS Haddington Burgh Protocol Books, James Meldrum, 1520-33, B30/1/1, fol. 80.

8. Selkirk Protocol Books, 1511-47, A82.

9. NRS Prot Bk of Thomas Stevin, 1548-1565, B30/1/5, fol. 157.

10. Kirk, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, 170-71.

11. Donaldson, Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices, 28.

12. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1587-96, CH2/185/1, fols. 31-32 & 46.

13. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1648-1661, CH2/185/6, fols. 147-148.

14. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1648-1661, CH2/185/6, fol. 152.

15. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1648-1661, CH2/185/6, fol. 157.

16. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-1686, CH2/185/7, fols. 38-39.

17. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-1686, CH2/185/7, fols. 148-149.

18. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-1686, CH2/185/7, fol. 195.

19. NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-1686, CH2/185/7, fol. 183.

Bibliography

NRS Haddington Burgh Protocol Books, James Meldrum, 1520-33, B30/1/1.

NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1587-96, CH2/185/1.

NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-1686, CH2/185/7.

NRS Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1648-1661, CH2/185/6.

NRS Prot Bk of Thomas Stevin, 1548-1565, B30/1/5.

Calendar of Scottish Supplications to Rome 1433-47, 1983, ed. A.I. Dunlop and D MacLauchlan, Glasgow.

Calendar of writs preserved at Yester House, 1166-1625, 1930, eds. C. Harvey & J. McLeod (Scottish Record Society), Edinburgh.

Cowan, I.B., 1967, The parishes of medieval Scotland, (Scottish Record Society), Edinburgh.

Donaldson, G., 1949, Accounts of the collectors of thirds of benefices, (Scottish History Society), Edinburgh.

Hay, G., 1957, The Architecture of Scottish Post-Reformation Churches, 1560-1843, Oxford.

Kirk, J., 1995, The books of assumption of the thirds of benefices, (British Academy) Oxford.

New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45, Edinburgh and London.

Selkirk Protocol Books, 1511-47, 1993, eds. T. Maley & W. Elliot (Stair Society), Edinburgh.

Statistical Account of Scotland, 1791-9, ed. J. Sinclair, Edinburgh.

Stenhouse, M., 1977, A History of Morham Parish, East Lothian.

Architectural description

Morham may have been the location of Early Christian worship on the evidence of the fragment of a fine Anglian cross shaft with inhabited vine trail decoration that was found in its south wall. It has now been removed from the wall and is preserved in the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.(1)

The first significant reference to the parish church appears to be on 9 March 1245, when Bishop David de Bernham carried out one of his dedications.(2) In 1421 the fruits of the parish were assigned as a prebend to the collegiate church of Bothans, at Yester, with the cure to be served by a parochial chaplain, though it is not clear if this grant was effective.(3)

Following the Reformation. repairs were said to be in progress on 29 September 1652.(4) Nevertheless, on 7 June 1666 the building was recorded as being in great need of reparation,(5) and the continuing need for repairs was referred to in 1673, 1674, 1676 and 1684. Some work was evidently carried out after the last of those, since the bellcote is said to date from 1685,(6) and it contains a bell dated 1681.

The church was ‘taken down and rebuilt in the former situation in 1724’,(7) with a laterally projecting north aisle provided for the loft of the Dalrymple family. Taking account of the recycling of the Anglian cross shaft, the rebuilding may have involved some re-use of materials from the previous building.

The church has dimensions of 14.3 by 6.38 metres, which may well perpetuate the dimensions of the medieval building. It is constructed of pink rubble with raised margins to the doors and windows, the arches of which are articulated by block keystones and imposts. The main front to the south originally had a central pair of windows with doors of slightly greater width at the outer ends.

The western of the two doors was later converted to a window, presumably when the interior was re-ordered with the pews facing towards a communion table and pulpit at the west end. A stone between the eastern door and the window to its west is inscribed with the date 1724. There is an ogee-domed bellcote at the apex of the west gable.

The aisle of the Dalrymple family, which rises a little higher than the main body of the church, and is now walled off from the church, appears unlikely to be much later in date than the church itself. The north face is a strikingly handsome composition. The block rusticated door is surmounted by a raised and fielded panel, above which is a segmental-pedimented armorial tablet. Flanking the door, and rising to the same height, are raised and fielded panels below the block-rusticated windows that flank the panel over the door. Above the windows are volutes that rise up to flank the two sides of the armorial panel.

Notes

1. National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland, Sculptured Monuments in Scotland AD 400-1050, (Information Sheet no 4/1978). See also David MacGibbon and Thomas Ross, The Ecclesiastical Architecture of Scotland, Edinburgh, vol. 3, 1897, p. 591; Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland, Inventory of East Lothian, Edinburgh, 1924, p. 56; Euan W. Mackie, Scotland: an Archaeological Guide, London, 1975, p. 95.

2. Alan Orr Anderson, Early Sources of Scottish History, Edinburgh, 1922, vol. 2, p. 525.

3. Ian B. Cowan, The Parishes of Medieval Scotland (Scottish Record Society), 1967, p. 152.

4. National Records of Scotland, Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1648-61, CH2/185/6, fol. 152.

5. National Records of Scotland, Presbytery of Haddington, Minutes, 1662-86, CH2/185/7, fols 38-39.

6. M. Stenhouse, A History of Morham Parish, East Lothian, 1977, pp. 28-29.

7. New Statistical Account of Scotland, 1834-45, vol. 2, p. 269.