The Congregational Church was built in 1819, when a site was obtained from Sir Alexander Mackenzie. Previous landlords, in the words of the first minister, were “so bigoted that they would not give an inch to build a chapel upon”. That first minister was the Rev. Alexander Dewar, who came as a young man in 1806 and remained until his death in 1849.
The first congregation (totalling about 400) of this church was made up of people who broke away from the Church of Scotland, objecting to patronage, which meant that the landlord could choose the minister, and the view was held that such ministers were “wordly minded men”. Before the church was built, the people worshipped in the open air or in a house.
