St Stephen’s Church was formed in 1988 by the uniting of Causewayend and Powis Parish Churches. Throughout the years these two churches, situated only a small distance apart have stood as a witness to the surrounding district.
Causewayend was sanctioned as a charge by the Free Church of Scotland in June 1879. A hall was built and Rev John Rae preached his first sermon on 13th January 1880. The Church was opened on 19th November 1882 with a roll of 172 members. Mr Rae was followed by Rev James A Russell who ministered at Causewayend from 1886 to 1918.
Meanwhile, in the mid 1890’s a group of influential locals all belonging to the Church of Scotland had got together to form a plan to build a church on the site at Split-the-Wind. The land belonged to the Misses Leslie of Powis and the church was to be called Powis Church. By 1895 the church was built, the architect being A Marshall Mackenzie who also designed Crathie Kirk. Certain modifications were made to the orginal plan - the entrance tower and spire abandoned and also transepts and an apse.
In Summer 1925, joint services between Causewayend and Powis churches became established and after a long ministry Rev J Russell moved to Durris in 1918 and Rev W Niven became minister from 1919 to 1927.
Disaster overtook Causewayend Church on the night of April 21st 1943 when the church was badly damaged during an air-raid. Joint services were arranged with Powis and the first was held four days later on April 25th. A restoration fund was begun with a target of £2,000. A licence was granted for re-building in 1948, but in the end the cost of the restoration was almost £17,000. Most of the cost was met by the War Damages Commission, although the congregational share of over £3,000 was met without recourse to a single sale of work. In 1951 the church was re-dedicated with a special service.
The picture shows the air-raid damage sustained on the night of 21st April 1943 captured by a Press & Journal reporter the next day.
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Background Photo © Bill Harrison (cc-by-sa/2.0)