The Stewartry of Strathearn

The pre-Reformation church of Aberdalgie came within the Diocese of Dunkeld and the ancient churchyard bears eloquent testimony to the men and women who have worshipped here through the centuries. The earliest patrons of Aberdalgie were the Oliphants. Aberdalgie was united with the parish of Dupplin in 1618. The Oliphants were succeeded as patrons in 1625 by the Kinnoull family. The present church was erected by the Earl of Kinnoull in 1773. In more recent times the church has benefitted from the interest of the Dewar family who became lairds of Dupplin in 1911. A "T-Plan" church of local sandstone, Aberdalgie features a fine Laird's loft and a Georgian retiring room which now serves as the church office.

The village of Aberuthven is situated two miles from Auchterarder. Local folk still know the village as "Smiddy Haugh", reference to a smithy and the flat land by the river side. A Secession church was founded in Aberuthven which, after the 1929 Scottish church union, became a parish church quoad sacra. The eighteenth century building was sold and converted as a residence in 1988. The present church building was dedicated on Easter Sunday 1991. The remains of the medieval parish church, St. Kattan's, are to the west of the village. Added to the ruined church and dating from the 1730s is the Montrose Mausoleum, burial place of the Graham earls of Montrose.

Of plain gothic style, the foundation stone was laid in 1908 and building was completed in 1911. Originally a United Free Church, it became Church of Scotland in 1929. The building, dedicated St. Paul's, was chosen to serve Dunning Parish when the medieval St. Serf's building ceased to be used in the early 1970s. The church features an open timber roof and a chancel. There is fine stained glass, notable amongst which is the large window at the (liturgical) west end, depicting the Evangelists, and the window depicting the adoration of the Magi which was installed to mark the end of the second Christian millennium. Dunning's history dates from the Iron Age and the area has had many types of visitor, from Romans to Jacobites. The patron is St. Serf, fifth century "Apostle of the Ochils".

Forteviot Church of St. Andrew Forteviot was the site of an important Pictish settlement in the reign of King Oengus. Legend has it that the first Christian Church at Forteviot was built in response to the visit of Kilrymont (St. Andrews) monks to the valley during the eighth century. The present building was erected in 1778. It houses a number of medieval carved stones and the best preserved of the celtic hand bells in Scotland (c900 AD). The font is from the pre-reformation church of Muckersie which was united with Forteviot in 1618. The church bell was from the previous building and bears the inscription: Cornelius Anderagge Fecit Rotterdam 1657.

Website: The Stewartry of Strathearn Website.