Records of Ceres Associate Session, West and St Andrews Road United Presbyterian and United Free Church

Session minutes, 1738-1748 and 1781-1885; Accounts, 1738-1771; Manager's minutes, 1885-1913; Account book, 1771-1798, 1783-1833 and 1899-1913; Baptismal register, 1738-1806, 1808, 1836-1837 and 1858-1891; Communion roll, 1858-1913.

Ceres Associate Congregation (an Antiburgher congregation) was first established in 1740 and the first minister of the congregation, William Campbell, was ordained in September 1742. It is thought that services must have initially taken place in the open air as no place of worship had yet been erected in 1742, however a stone within the old church is recorded to have borne the date 1744. At some point the congregation's name became Ceres West, probably after the start of the Relief Church congregation at Ceres in 1798, which was Ceres East. There was a significant reduction in the size of the congregation from the late 18th century because of the existence of Ceres East, and because there was an Antiburgher congregation at nearby Cupar. The congregation obtained a new church in St Andrew's Road in 1877.

By the 1870s there were moves to unite the two Ceres congregations (both now United Presbyterian Church charges), and this took place in 1885. At the union in 1900 of the United Presbyterians and the Free Church of Scotland, the charge became the Ceres St Andrew's Road, United Free Church, and in 1913 a union was established with Ceres South, under the name of Ceres U.F. Further union followed soon after in 1917 with Strathkinness to form the charge of Ceres and Strathkinness U.F.

Sources: Robert Small, The History of the Congregations of the United Presbyterian Church 1733-1900 (Edinburgh, 1904); John Alexander Lamb, The Fasti of the United Free Church of Scotland 1900-1929 (Edinburgh, 1956).

By appointment with the Archivist. Access to unpublished records less than 30 years old and other records containing confidential information may be restricted. Special conditions apply to photographs.

Held under charge and superintendence of the Keeper of Records for Scotland.

Description compiled by Rachel Hart, Archives Hub Project, based on description created by Lesley Doig and modified by Alan Borthwick, Scottish Archive Network project.

Typescript catalogue available in St Andrews University Library Department of Special Collections and in National Archives of Scotland search rooms.

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist. Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents.

GB 227 CH3/55 Records of Ceres United Free ChurchGB 227 CH2/65 Records of Ceres Kirk Session