Kirkmaiden

Kirkmaiden is a parish in the Rinns of Galloway, the most southerly in Scotland; the present Church of Scotland parish has the same name as and is approximately coterminous with the original pre-Reformation parish.

It is named after the mediaeval St Medan, whose identity, name, sex and origin are all disputed [MacQueen (2002) pp 50 & 51.] . The name "Kirkmaiden" itself is thought to be a translation of an originally purer Gaelic "Kilmaiden" by either Scandinavians or Angles with a knowledge of Gaelic [Nicolaisen 1976 pp 109-110] .

It is also the area and name of a community council, which meets generally in Drummore and occasionally in Port Logan.

ettlements

There are two main settlements in Kirkmaiden: Drummore and Port Logan.

Ecclesiastical history

The parish church was originally some five miles south of Drummore, at a site on the Kirkburn, not far from the Mull of Galloway; there are indications that originally many worshippers attended Mass by boat [MacQueen (2002) pp 50 & 51.] . On 15 July 1393 Pope Clement VII authorised Finlay, Abbot of Soulseat, to annex Kirkmaiden parish church in ‘le Rynnis’ to augment the income of the abbey [See http://www.premontre.org/subpages/loci/imagines/imsoulseat/Soulseat%20Chronological%20History.htm, accessed 26 January 2008] .

In 1638 the parishioners, citing the inconvenience of the journey to church, secured the building of a new church known as Kirk Covenant on Core Hill, about a mile west of Drummore. Following the Disruption of 1843, a new church was again built, for worshippers in the Free Church of Scotland, and this time in the village itself, in the street now known as Stair Street. Early in the 20th century the two congregations were reunited. Now worship is habitually at the church within Drummore, with one service each month in the summer being held at Kirk Covenant.

Kirkmaiden in the Machars

A ruined church south of Port William in the Machars, near Monreith in the parish of Glasserton, is also named "Kirkmaiden".

References and further reading

Richard D Oram (2000), The Lordship of Galloway, John Donald.

John MacQueen (2002), Place-Names in the Rhinns of Galloway and Luce Valley, Stranraer and District Local History Trust.

W F H Nicolaisen (1976), Scottish Place-Names, Batsford, London.