aberrnethy

Abernethy and the Moncrieffs By Dennis Moncrief

The Interior of the Abernethy Chapel. Currently named: Abernethy and Dron Parish Church
The Light-colored cylindrical stone flower holding fixture toward bottom left
is a memorial donated by Moncreiff family. I did not capture the inscription, sadly. Was late 1800's, I think.

Three Moncreiffs listed as past Reverends include:

1579-1630 Archibald Moncrieff
1630-1671 Archibald Moncrieff (son)
1720-1730 Alexander Moncrieff (continured as minister of Secession church
till 1761)

A total of over 130 years of Moncrieff Reverends.

"The first major split in the Presbyterian Church in Scotland was the
Secession in 1733, the minister of Abernethy, Alexander Moncrieff of
Culfargie, being one of the leading seceders."

"The church was founded by Nectan, king of the Picts around 460 AD and was
dedicated to St Bride of Kildare. The first stone church was built by
Gartnaidh, king of the Picts around 590."

The above is quoted from a small leaflet obtained at the chapel. Also, I
recall from reading in the excellent book, "The Age of the Picts" by W. A.
Cummins, that King Nechan was converted to Christianity while in Ireland
and that Abernethy was the first Christian church to be established in all
Pictland, well before St Columba founded Iona in the far west.

Abernethy was later considered the ecclesiastic center of Pictland, and
therefore also the center of higher learning in general. Cummins also
asserts his belief that one of the copies, perhaps the primary original, of
the Chronicles of the Pictish Kings was maintained at Abernethy. Sir Iain's
claim that the Moncrief name descends from the Pictish kings in the female
line (and they were matrilineal) sent me off reading about the Picts and
Cummins' book is the best I've discovered to date.

For more on this book, see:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750909242/qid=919998791/sr=1-2/002-44295
62-2044837

Do you know, does the name "Wemyss" appear in the book, ""The Moncreiffs
and the Moncreiffes..."? There are also 3 Wemyss Reverends of Abernethy
listed in the 1500's and I think I recall seeing a tombstone inscription
evidencing a Moncreiff/Wemyss marriage, either at Abernethy or at the
Easter Moncreiffe chapel?

DCM

From Abernethy Cemetary. Coat of Arms (Moncreiff Family Crest)