Its Origins
Carmichael Church was founded at the beginning of the 12th Century and was connected at this time with the see of Glasgow. The site was not the present one, but lay approximately a mile south-east of the modern building, on a hill still known as Kirkhill, within the Carmichael Estate. This early church was dedicated to St Michael.
Early in the reign of Robert Bruce (1306 – 1329) the King granted the right of patronage of Carmichael parish to the Douglases, a highly influential Scottish magnate family. The Douglas Earls retained this right until four hundred years later when it passed to the Carmichael family.
At the site of the present church two reminders exist of the former structure of Kirkhill. The outside stone stair leading to the “Carmichael loft” is pre-Reformation, and was transported from the former church. In addition to this, many old and interesting gravestones can be found in the Kirkyard which pre-date the present building; these also were brought from the old site at Kirkhill.
The Present Building
The church was built in 1750. At this time, it had three galleries; the present central one for the Carmichael family; one at the right-end of the church for the people of Drumalbin; and one at the opposite end for the Carmichaels of Eastend. The two latter galleries were reached by inside wooden staircases. The pulpit was in the same place as it is today and there were also two boxes, one for the Manse and one for the people of Westmains.
In the mid-17th Century a bell was cast at the Iron Foundry at Carmichael Mill and presented to the Kirk by Sir Damill Carmichael. At the end of the 19thCentury however this bell developed a crack and had to be re-cast in Glasgow. The communion vessels and tokens are of great interest. The pewter communion vessels date from 1705 and the silver cups, which are now held in the bank, bear the inscription “For the Kirk of Carmichael – 1705". The old communion tokens take two forms, one dating from 1748 and the other from 1824. The dates and name of the Church can clearly be read. Pettinain Parish merged with Carmichael in 1952 and in 1995, Thankerton and Covington also merged with Carmichael and Pettinain to form Cairngryffe Parish Church.
The Cache
The Cache itself is a film canister. Please be careful when retreiving and have stealth. Please replace under the camoflague (sticks) well. Please avoid walking on the garden, there is no need as the Please enjoy this lovely church.
Congrats to 6669 for the FTF!
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