The Fabric of Methil Parish Church Building

Few Parish Churches today can exhibit a wealth of historical and ecclesiastical tradition interpreted through symbolism, says Mr William Reid, M.A., FEIS, in the second of his articles showing the close continuity in traditional story, both ecclesiastical and historical, about our area. The present Methil Parish Church was consecrated in 1926, possibly the last Parish Church to be built before the Church Union of 1929.

The architect was a Roman Catholic, Mr Fairlie, a man, according to his biographer, with a profound knowledge of Celtic culture, of monastic architecture, and with a deep sensitivity for what was appropriate and fitting with professional skill in relating the past to the present through ecclesiastical continuity. He was well aware of the origin of 'Methkyl' from Culdee cave, through monastic establishment in stone from the 13th century, with Norman influences, through the Roman Catholic period until the Reformation and then the Protestant spell with its various parting or schisms. How best could he incorporate that story in stone, lime and furnishings?

His site plan was cruciform, including the principal features of earlier monastic establishments. From the west door the visitor enters the nave, the area for the laity in former times, now the body of the church. The transepts, North and South, repeat the areas used in the earlier monastic buildings, as 'side chapels', 'altars' or 'chantries' which used to be supported by the Trade Guilds or Guildry of the times. The 'Rood Screen' dividing the nave from the chancel is placed back against the organ, as a screen. From the North Transept short cloisters lead to the, 'monastic' chapter house, now the session house, while, from there, a spiral stair leads to the 'monastic camera', the Abbott's robing room, now the vestry where the vestments are kept. All the essential features of monastic days are recalled in the site plan.

The internal stone work shows in pediments and capitals faint traces of Norman and Gothic circular mouldings, mediaeval features. However, it is in the woodcarvings where the architect has excelled in telling, through symbolism, the long thread of religious tradition. The legs of the communion table, made from English oak, show the convolutes and whorls of Celtic design, all different, with the chevron of Norman pattern intruding. Instead of the 'sedilia', seats in the monastic style for canons and priors, are six elders chairs, with the seventh central, as the ministers. Behind the communion table, there are eight differently carved armrests drawn from the grotesque caricatures of the Middle Ages, from the 'Bestiaries,' which were once used in Christian instruction to point out human failings allegorically. Above the minister's chair is the carved symbol of the eagle symbol of the Evangel, with its ornate feathers and wing span.

The organ screen, in its present position, supplements what would have been the 'Rood Screen' of the monastic establishment separating the laity from the stalls and altar of the apse and chancel. It is continuous from wall to well with rounded Norman arches which help to display, in open framework, the organ pipes between balusters which carry a plinth, freize and coping.

The pediments and capitals of the balusters carry ornate carvings, none of which repeats itself yet symbolises decorative carved animal forms typical of mediaeval monastic decoration, again drawn from the 'Bestiaries.' There is a running plinth below the freize of Celtic scroll work, stopped only by the uprights of the balusters Between the panels, formed by the balusters, are panels with circles containing 'the Kirkmadrine monogram', Chrisma, the plain Latin cross, the pulpit fall monogram I.H.S., the 'fish' symbol, concealed in scroll work; all of these, from floor level, difficult to discriminate because of foliated ornamentation. Topping the screen is a coping of continuous scrollwork of Celtic origins showing interweaving of Celtic line representation of eternity, no beginning and no end, such as are the engravings on many Iona crosses.

The freize panel is also crocketed in its circles with curled leaves, a practice common in Gothic architecture. It is well nigh impossible to find any symbol or motif repeated showing how rich was the architect's knowledge of church symbolism from the earliest days of Christianity until the later English style of church architecture and decoration. While "Methyl" church, in the 'Report of the Commission on Ancient Monuments' has a simple reference, No 544 XXVIII N.E., that was the site of the monastic building that replaced the Culdee cave church during the proliferation of David 1. Its size we do not know, but its worth and attached lands, judging from Wemyss charters, must have been valuable. How long it lasted even 121 George Street, Church Headquarters, cannot tell. What we do know is that along with St Mary's By-the-Sea, it was the first charge in Scotland to appoint a joint incumbent free of patronage from the archbishop.

One last feature of the building bears comment. The architect was a Roman Catholic, the builder a Leith contractor, a member of the United Free Church, the wood carver from York, an Episcopalian, the joiner a local man, a member of the Parish Church. All co-operated, before the days of ecumenism to get a job of work done so that the finished structure should represent a place of Christian worship and symbolise, from earliest times, the continuity of that worship. Few Parish churches, today can claim such a wealth of historical and ecclesiastical tradition interpreted through symbolism.