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Ardclach old parish church. Photo taken on Tuesday, 24th June 2008, 11.43am, from the hill leading up from the church to The Manse. The Manse was my wife’s childhood home in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, until it burnt down. All that remains of the Manse today are the old front and rear gates, portions of the old stone walls, and wild lupins descended from lupins planted by my wife’s mother, three-quarters of a century ago. In those days, the Bell Tower was permanently locked, and the key kept at The Manse by my wife’s mother, Dr Dora Rose, who would give it out to visiting scholars and other bona fide visitors. Beside the churchyard, there used to be a stone-built bridge over the River Findhorn, by which parishioners from Furness could reach the church. The bridge fell down during a storm in the early 1950’s – today, all that remains of the bridge is a stone pier by the river near the churchyard. After that, Furness residents faced a walk of several miles to reach their church, and more miles to walk home. The last service there was held in mid-winter 1955-1956.