Interesting relics of ages long gone by have been discovered in widely different localities in the Strath of which Kinross-shire consists.  These clearly indicate that from the most remote times, the district was a well-populated one, unlike many of the more important counties of Scotland which were trackless wastes abandoned as a fit haunt for the wild ox, the wolf and the bear.  It may certainly be concluded that even in those far-off days, civilisation as it then existed in Scotland was not altogether wanting in Kinross-shire.

The ancient, and important ecclesiastical structure of the Priory on St. Serf’s on Loch Leven forms the subject of one of the earliest historical references to the County of Kinross.  It was founded by Brude V in the last part of the 8^th century – he was the last of the kings of the Picts.  St. Serf’s was created for the benefit of the Culdees (monks) who were already established on the island.  This was a very important ecclesiastical establishment ranking next in importance in Stocland to Iona, founded by Columbe in 562AD

St. Serf’s Priory continued to flourish for 400 years when it was merged into the Priory of St. Andrews.  Within its walls Andrew Wynton wrote his valuable ‘Cronykil of Scotland’ and the settlement was well endowed and fostered and exercised a beneficial influence over the whole of the surrounding district. There is no doubt that its influence was responsible for the early erection of the three Churches – Kinross, Orwell, and Portmoak, situated as they were on the very margin of Loch Leven.  They probably originated as mere primitive places of worship, where the monks of St. Serf’s could minister to the spiritual wants of the people of the distict.

The Old Kirk of Orwell was situated near the lochside just west of Orwell Farm.  In the time of Robert I it was the lochside Church – a Chapel of Ease which the King gave to the Dunfermline monastery.  The earliest Parish Register commenced here in 1688 and the most common diseases were ‘fevers’ (typhoid was very rife) and consumption.  The last Old Kirk of Orwell was built about 1530 and was largely made of wood, with a stone base.  It was small, just sufficient to serve the small community of crofters, weavers, fishermen and wild fowlers.  Loch Leven at this time carried a great abundance of wild life.  The last ordained minister of Orwell Old Kirk was Rev. Thomas Mair who was ordained in 1725 but later seceded from the Establishment on 18^th February 1737,

Orwell Parish Kirk on Ba’hill.  In the year 1729 the new building was erected on Ba’hill on a site acquired from Tillywhally.  The population gradually moved nearer the stage coach routes and more especially when a new line of road was opened in 1831.  It is interesting to note that while the lochside Church was in use, poaching parties got whole sackfuls of fish in a single night and a few reindeer were occasionally seen.  The Heritors who paid for the new building consisted of Dr. Walker Arnott of Arlary, John Horn of Thomanean, Rev. G Coventry of Shanwell, Robert Neilson of Hilton, the Misses McTurk of Craigow, the heirs of Rev. Dr. Belfrage of Colison, Rev. Mr. Brown of Finderlie, Chas. Stein of Hattonburn, and Mr. Purves of Warroch.  The original building on Ba’hill was a long rectangular structure without the north wing.  The low roof was thatched and no higher than the front of the present galleries.  There was an earthen floor, no seats or galleries, and the pulpit was situated below where the clock is now situated.  There were half a dozen small windows, no music and on a Sunday morning the service lasted from 12 noon to 2pm.  Parishioners came early to get a good stance near the pulpit.

The population in 1753 consisted of 1891 souls, and the churches had the following memberships:-  Established Church – 504;  Anti-Burghers – 520;  Burgher – 642;  Relief – 83.  Some of the occupations were:- servants – 254;  fuars – 18;  masons – 10;  wrights – 20;  shoemakers – 27;  tailors – 13;  weavers – 129;  butchers – 1;  ministers – 4;  schoolmaster – 1;  private teachers – 2;  alehouses – 10;  brewers – 2;  flour mills – 1;  meal mills – 6.

The old kirk manse was built in 1788 in a temporary manner and repaired in 1825, but even at that time was considered very incommodious.  The present manse was built in 1853 by the Free Church and its first occupant was the Rev Walter Chalmers Smith later a Moderator of the United Free Church.  He wrote poetry under the pseudonym ‘Orwell’. His most famous hymn is ‘Immortal, invisible, God only wise.’ Written here and published in 1860 a year after he moved.

The Old Schoolhouse consisted of 2 apartments and was built in 1769.  It had a roll of 80 scholars. 

The Kirk was reconstructed in 1780 when the roof was raised, the galleries installed, and the north wing erected by the Forfars of Netherhall and Seggie Bank.  It was known as the Forfar Wing.  The windows were enlarged, a floor laid and seating installed after the pulpit was erected in its present position.  This was a small pulpit with no trimmings of any kind.  Before the seating was installed, trestle tables were put up for the two Sacraments each year – admission was by token only.

In these early days of Ba’hill Kirk, the seats belonged to the Heritors and they were let at 2/6d downstairs.  In the galleries seats were 2/- per sitting but the poor had seats in the lofts grates.

In 1837 the door collections amounted to £29.19.3d, voluntary collections £54.7.5d;  mortcloths and rent of land £63.14.6d.  Most of the collection was given to the poor – except for the following:-  Session Clerk - £3.3.0d;  Precentor - £3;  and the Beadle - £1.  Almost everybody could read and write;  there was a library founded in 1797 and the readers paid 1/- per month or 8/- per year.  There was also a Session library commenced on 1^st January 1832 and it contained between 300 and 500 volumes;  most of the congregation made use of it.  The books were handed out each week by the Elders.  The poor got them free.

What was life like here in Milnathort in the village below the Parish Kirk?  Round about 1800, farm servants in the bothy received £12, 65.bolls of oatmeal, 6 firlots of potatoes and 1 pint of milk daily.  During the summer, a ‘stout’ workman could earn 2/- a day – in winter 1/6d.  Women earned from 9d to 1/3d per day.  Threshing mills were driven by horse or water – none by steam.  There were many weaving sheds in the village – some of them quite large, especially at Inchmerry (now called Church Street) on the site of the present UF Church.  The most famous one in New Road was called ‘Paradise’.  Many of these weavers were very poor, and most of them were great bird lovers, carrying their canaries to work with them in little cages.  Special shelves were provided in the sheds and the warbling and whistling could be heard outside as people passed by.  What a marked contrast to these roaring transistors of nowadays!  At the morning break there was a gathering of the weavers at the Cross to hear the daily news.  Someone was appointed to act as leader for a week and more often than not the topic was politics – Conservatism or Liberalism.