Cullen & Deskford Parish Church History

   Cullen Chaplains & Ministers

     Chaplains and Ministers 1472 – Present


Past incumbents of Deskford church enjoyed mixed fortunes.
The Rev. Walter Darg, MA, ordained in 1627, was deposed in 1651 for inefficiency. Later excommunicated, he was accused of conducting irregular marriages while 'living at Rathven in reduced circumstances'. His son, Patrick, was recorded as a prisoner in Glasgow Tolbooth in 1672.


The Rev. Walter Morrison, attacked by a 'fearful mob of Papists' at Enzie in 1725, was inducted to Deskford in 1731. His successor, the Rev. Walter Chalmers, published a pamphlet entitled The Prevalent Disregard to Religion and Virtue, the Ruin of Individuals and of Nations. (Edinburgh 1794). Plus ca change!

The above Dr. Mackintosh, awarded his doctorate by the University of Aberdeen in 1895, had a large family who distinguished themselves in various professions all over the world; the most celebrated being his son Ashley, who became Regius Professor of Medicine at Aberdeen.


The first ten names are those of incumbents prior to the reformation and the number of names at 1652-43 is due to the fact that about that time Cullen was created a “Collegiate Church” with a Provost and Prebendaries.

  LEGEND
pre-reformation legendPre-reformation
post refromation legendPost reformation
modern legendCullen & Deskford Church of Scotland
Alexander Fordyce
1472 –
Thomas Gregor
1542
William Malisoun
1542
Sir Gilbert Davesoun
Prebendary(1543) 1542
William Elphinstone
1543
Robert Leith
1543
John Thain
1543
George Gray
1543
William Lawtie
Prebendary 1553
Sir George Duff
Provost 1563
Willaim Lawtie
1563
Gilbert Gardyne
1568 – 1589
Alexander Hay
1590 – 1594
Gilbert Gardyne
1595 – 1599
Patrick Darg
1599 – 1601
George Douglas
1601 – 1641
George Lesley
1642 – 1647
Alexander Setone
1647 – 1650
James Chalmer
1652 – 1653
Robert Tait
1697 - 1700
Alexander Irvine
1705 – 1717
James Lawtie
1717 – 1751
James Anderson
1751 – 1762
Robert Grant
1762 – 1808
George Innes
1808 – 1829
George Henderson
1829 – 1884
William T P Macdonald
1884 – 1900
William G G McLean
1901- 1927
William G Robertson
1927 – 1936
John T Guthrie
l/w Deskford 1967 - 1986
Alexander J MacPherson
1987 – 1996
G Melvyn Wood
1997 – 2004
Wilma A Johnston
2006 – 2008
John Oswald
Interim Minister 2009
Douglas F Stevenson
2010 –present day