The history of this church dates back to the late 1700s. In 1783 an application was made to the Associate (Burgher) Presytery of Scotland for pulpit supply, however it was later withdrawn. Seven years later in 1790 a petition was made to revive the preaching station at Stonehouse however a petition from Chapleton resulted int he preaching station for Stonehouse being discontinued. This did not stop the people of Stonehouse pursuing a meeting house and eventually achieving this in 1795. With a growing congregation a new church was sought and the exisitng church was opened on 29th April 1879.
When local dissenters left the Church of Scotland to form what would become the United Presbyterian Church. In 1900, the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland merged, which meant Stonehouse had two churches of the same denomination. To distinguish them, it took on the name of its minister of the time, the Rev Henry Angus Paterson, and became the Paterson United Free Church of Scotland.
The original church was demolished, although a small circular part of its structure can still be seen. The new church was opened in its place in 1879, designed by Shiells & Thomson,(James M Thomson and Robert Thornton Shiells).
It is a Gothic-style church with a square corner tower and a rose window above the door. It also hosts a fine collection of stained glass windows by the late Crear McCartney who was one of Scotland’s finest stained glass artists who, during his long career, produced 112 largely religious works at sites from Aberdeen to Ayr, from Kirkwall to Cornwall and beyond.
TIMELINE
- 1783 Application made to Associate (Burgher) Presbytery of Glasgow for pulpit supply
- c1790 Meeting House erected at Chapelton for worshippers from Stonehouse congregation
- 1795 Dissenters Church founded in Stonehouse.
- 1796 Meeting House ‘carried’ from Chapelton to ‘Newtown’ (Lawrie Street) site of present church. Newtown Meeting House served
congregation until 1820 as the Associate Congregation of Burgher Seceders. - 1798 Rev. William Taylor (b.1768, 1st m. Mary McKeown, 2nd m. Mary Armstrong, d. 1837)
1st minister of Associate Session congregation, from Falkirk, he resigned in 1817, emigrating to Canada and thence to Waddington, New York in 1819. Further details of William Taylor can be found by following the following link.xxxxxx - 1815 First Manse built (Hill Manse)
- 1820 Congregation became United Secession Church after union of Burgher and Anti-Burgher Churches
- 1820 Rev. William Fraser (d. 1835)
2nd minister, from Dunning, he resigned in 1828, later emigrating to Canada - 1831 Rev. Matthew McGavin (d. 1874)
3rd minister, from Dundee, he accepted call to Airdrie in 1841, later emigrating to Australia - 1842 Rev. Henry Angus Paterson (b. 1818, d. 1901)
4th minister, from Aberdeenshire. Opposed to Boer War, his grand niece was wife of ex-president Steyn of the Orange Free State. 
- 1843 Roof of church raised four and a half feet to accommodate head room at back of gallery.
- 1847 The United Secession Church and Relief Church united to form the United Presbyterian Church. The local kirk became known as the United Presbyterian Church.
- 1859 Ordnance Survey map of 1859 shows detail of garden layout behind church building.
- 1860 Church enlarged again to provide more seating
- 1865 Choral Union established in Subscription School Hall. With 40 members, Mr Thomson, precentor of the United Presbyterian Church was conductor.
- 1878 Memorial stone laid for new church, for growing congregation. The previous church was demolished, leaving only a small circular part of the original structure, which is still evident today.
- 1879 New church completed and opened on April 29th, originally designed to incorporate spire.
- 1883 YMCA established
- 1891 Jubilee of Rev. Henry Angus Paterson JUBILEE HA PATERSON Notice
- 1895 Centenary of United Presbyterian Church in Stonehouse
- 1900 Union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church of Scotland. As there were two churches of the same denomination in Stonehouse, the United Presbyterian Church was renamed ‘Paterson United Free Church of Scotland’
- 1901 Rev. A. B. Macdonald
5th minister, from Cumnock, he accepted call to Perth in 1914 - 1902 New Manse built on Strathaven Road
- 1915 Rev. James Christian Brown
6th minister, from Coatbridge, he accepted call to Glasgow in 1921 - 1921 Rev. Andrew Martin
7th minister, from Stranraer, left congregation in 1929. Served with Royal Scots Fusiliers with the Eygptian Expeditionary Force. - 1929 Union of United Free Church of Scotland and Established Church. Congregation refused to participate and continued as ‘Paterson United Free Church of Scotland (continuing)’, five years later dropping the word ‘continuing’.
- 1930 Rev. Thomas Frederick Crow
8th minister, from Yorkshire, he became the Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland, retiring in 1952 - 1953 Rev. David Wilson Roy
9th minister, from Glasgow, the second minister of Paterson Church to become Moderator of the United Free Church of Scotland. He left the congregation in 1964 to become minister in Edinburgh. - 1961 New hall built and dedicated on 4th November
- 1965 Rev. Archibald Amos Small
10th minister, from Edinburgh, the third minister of Paterson Church to become Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Free Church of Scotland in 1977. Retired in September 1979. - 1977 Church seriously damaged by fire and restored by congregation the following year
11th minister, born Rothesay, Rev. McFie served in Shetland and Lochend U.F. Church in Campbeltown before receiving call from Paterson Church, retired in 1999. Rev. McFie was the 4th minister of the church to serve as Moderator of the General Assembly of the United Free Church.
Births and Baptisms
The following table has been transcribed from the original record held by the church and this is followed by a scanned copy of the actual book.
Paterson Church Births & Baptisms 1824-1901
Paterson Church: Recorded Deaths 1848-1853
Celebration booklets
A number of booklets have been produced over the years