New Spalding Club > Thanage of Fermartyn including the district commonly called Formartine

498 Tlie Tlianage of Fcrinartyn.
ST. MARY'S ON THE ROCK, ELLON.
" Sperat infestis."
Thus wrote the List Episcopal minister of Udny on the books of his Ubrary — not his own
family motto, for he was descended of the ancient houses of Kilravock and Auchlossin,
but one suited to the unhappy times in which he lived. The church was in ruins, but
he still had hope that a brighter day would dawn, and were he from his rest in Paradise,
to see the handsome church erected at Ellon in place of the low-roofed thatched build-
ing at Udny Green, he would feel that his hopes had not been vain.
The congregation that assembles at St. Mary's on the Rock represents the two con-
gregations of Udny and Ellon, which were served separately until 1816. These two
parishes were for a long time strongholds of Episcopacy.
The incumbent of Ellon at the time of the revolution was Walter Stewart. He was
appointed to Ellon in 1677. He married a daughter of Sir John Forbes of Waterton,
and had issue five sons and eight daughters. He died in 17 10, or at least retired from
the church of Ellon about that time.
In 1710 the Rev. William Leslie, fifth laird of Little-Folia, was appointed to Ellon,
and he, probably, officiated in the parish church till 1713, when Rev. L Burnett was
appointed to Ellon. In the summer of that year the Episcopalians erected a meeting-
house near to the churchyard, and they brought from the parish church their seats,
which were movable, and the property of the individuals, Mr. Leslie officiated till 17 15,
when he retired to his property of Little-Folia, and officiated in his own house until his
death, which took place 31 July, 1743, in the 64th year of his age.
He was succeeded in the meeting-house at Ellon by Rev. Mr. Keith, Glasgoego.
After the proclamation of the Chevalier de St. George at Aberdeen, and his brief-lived
reign, the Episcopalians at Ellon waxed courageous. The following minute in the
session records of Ellon narrates "that on the loth of October, 1715, when the minister,
Mr. Burnett, was going to preach in the kirk, there met him in the kirkyard, Patrick
Cattanach, James Gordon in Mains of Esslemont, and William Forbes in Ellon, with
some others, and kept him from access to the kirk, and put in his stead John Keith of
Glasgoego, who preached in the meeting-house, whereupon the minister, Mr. Burnett,
went and preached beside his own house, and he was obliged to leave off preaching
until the 12 February, 17 16, because of the troubles of the country."
The rising of 1715 was a failure, and the Episcopalians, with the best grace they
could, had to go back to their " meeting-house," and, according to the notice of Mr
Leslie, in " Leslie's History of the Leslies," the meeting-house was burned. If this was
its fate, it was soon rebuilt, for in 1720 it is found in the charge of the Rev. Mr. Law.
There is no record how long Mr. Law remained ; but he may have done so until
Culloden, when then the meeting-house was effectually burned and destroyed. The
congregation was about this time in a flourishing condition. A complaint is found in