Time -Line

National Events

Local Events

1560

First Book of Discipline

1603

Union of Crowns

1625

Charles I

1638

National Covenant

1643

Solemn League and Covenant

1649

Charles I executed

1650

Parish of Cumnock sub-divided into two new parishes of Old Cumnock and New Cumnock

1651

Cromwell victorious at Battle of Dunbar. Commonwealth

1653

Ayr Presbytery appoint Hugh Crawford of Auchinames as first minister of the parish of New Cumnock

1659

Parish Church of New Cumnock built on the castlehill

1660

Restoration of Charles II

1661

Prelacy re-established

1662

Over 300 ministers ejected from their churches . Conventicles and field preaching

Hugh Crawford on of Ayrshire True Band of Covenanters is ejected from parish of New Cumnock

1667

Commission of the Plantation of Kirks reversed decision to sub-divide the parish of Cumnock - Old Cumnock and New Cumnock effectively reunited into one parish.

1670

Field-meetings declared treasonable

1680

Sanquhar Declaration

• Richard Cameron and his associates including Partick Gamill of Cumnock Mains (New Cumnock) renounced their allegiance to the king and declared war on him

1680

Battle of Airdsmoss

• Richard Cameron and eight other killed at Airdsmoss including spouse of Joanatt McMichall of the Bank, New Cumnock.

1684-85

Killing Times

• Jamieson, Humphry & Wilson martyred on Carsgailoch Hill

1685

Accession of James VII & II

1689

Revolution against James

1690

1691

Parish of Cumnock once again sub-divided into the parishes of Old Cumnock and New Cumnock

1692

Glencoe Massacre

Hugh Crawford dies

1696

Reverend James Gilchrist appointed as minister of parish church

1706

Reverend Thomas Hunter appointed as minister of parish church

1707

Union of England and Scotland

1712

Patronage Act

1733

Ebenezer Erskine

1745

Jacobite Rebellion

1747

1755

Population : 1497

1757

Reverend Thomas Hunter retires , dies three years later in 1760

1758

Reverend James Young appointed as minister of parish church

1761

1780

With no church building the Reformed Presbyterians held open-air meetings, as their Covenanting ancestors had done a century beforehand.

1789

Robert Burns 'The Kirk's Alarm'

Reverend James Young appears as 'Jamie Goose' in 'The Kirk's Alarm'.

1790

Population : 1200

1793

First Statistical Account of Scotland

About 12 of the inhabitants are Seceeders (probably Reformed Presbyterians)

Reverend James Youg dies.

1796

Reverend William Reid appointed as minister of parish church

1799

1800

About beginning of the century there was a small meeting house belonging to Reformed Presbyterians but with no minister

1806

1820

1829

Reverend Robert Craig appointed as minister of parish church

1831

1832

Reform Bill

1833

New parish church built in the main thoroughfare. Original church now disfunctional and becomes known as the Auld Kirk.

1836

Reverend Matthew Kirkland appointed minister

1842

New (Second) Statistical Account of Scotland

Rev. Matthew Kirkland writes New Statistical Account in 1838 and quotes population and church preferences as those given in 1831.

1839

Auld Lichts of Burghers return to Established Church

1843

• Reverend Matthew Kirkland demits from Established Church

1846

Reverend Gilbert Johnston appointed minister of Free Church

1847

1849

Reverend George Anderson appointed as minister of Free Church

1852

Most Auld Lichts of Anti-Burghers join Free Church

1859

Reverend Matthew Hutchison appointed minister of Reformed Presbyterian Church.

1868

New Reformed Presbyterian Church and Manse built at Afton Bridgend with seating for 300.

1875

Free Church expands into the miners rows and small iron church the Bank Free Church, built at Craigbank

1876

Most Reformed Presbyterians join Free Church

Congregation of Reformed Presbyterians at Afton Bridgend joins with the Free Church retaining church building and now Afton Free Church Manse.

1880

Continued recovery in parish church with 600 on communicant roll.

1881

Population : 3797

1885

Bank Free Church : 170 on communicant roll

1888

Keir Hardie forms Scottish Labour Party

1890

New Cumnock born James Adair becomes firt pastor of Baptist Church in New Cumnock.

1889

New stone-built Bank Free Church erected to replace small iron church.

1892

Keir Hardie elected as first Labour M.P.

1894

Reverend James Millar appointed as minister of parish church

1900

Free Church on castlehill becomes United Free Church

1906

1911

United Free Church on castlehill pulled down

1913

Arthur Memorial United Free Church built on castlehill in memory of William Arthur of Wellhill.

1914-1919

First World War

1923

Congregation of Afton Free Church (former Reformed Presbyterian Church) transferred to Arthur Memorial Church and the church building was sold and used as a Masonic Temple.

1926

Reverend Andrew Bodin appointed as minister of parish church. The church became known as the 'Martyrs Kirk' in memory of his former charge in Glasgow.

1929

UNION - United Free Church and Established Church

Arthur Memorial United Free Church and the Bank Church

1939-1945

Second World War

1951

Third Statistical Account of Scotland

• The Martyrs Church has a membership of 600 of which one-quarter to one-third attend on Sunday, i.e 150-200. Associated is Bridgend Hall ( former Reformed Presbyterian Church) and Mission Hall at Burnside

1960's

Miners' rows demolished, so too the Bank Free Church

1970's

Congregation of Arthur Memorial Free Church move to the Martyrs Kirk.