INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK

As the 1990s drew to a close, it seemed that it was imperative that every organisation or community in the country should have a "Millennium" project. Such projects, therefore, were executed in their thousands throughout the length and breadth of the country and varied from the mundane party, with or without a fireworks display, as the year 1999 turned into 2000, or some more lasting monument or memorial to the passing of the Millennium. All this was carried out against the background of the argument as to whether the Millennium came to an end on 31 December 1999 or on 31 December 2000, the purists opting for the latter date.

Not to be outdone, Longside Parish Church Kirk Session decided to celebrate the Millennium with the publication of a small article on the history of the Church at Longside. This embryonic idea blossomed into the possibility of the publication of a more detailed book on the history of the Church, which in turn, grew to a book on the history of the Parish of Longside from the date of the establishment of the Parish Church in 1620.

A group of enthusiasts was formed from the congregation and much research was undertaken by this group into previously published material and unpublished records of the Churches and Schools in the Parish, together with Estate Titles and other historical documents relating to life in the Parish from 1620.

A myriad of assistants was employed to research old newspapers or to meet with long-time residents in the Parish to record their memories. The result is the work which follows. It does not purport by any means to be an exhaustive history of Longside, but merely to enlighten those who live, work or have an interest in the Parish as to some of the aspects of Parish life over the last 400 years.

To express thanks individually to all of those who have contributed in some way to the production of this book would create a volume on its own. The writers therefore give a general appreciation to all who have given on loan articles of interest, assisted with their memories of life in the village or undertaken historical research.

The resultant volume hopefully will be a lasting record of a Christian Parish at the time of an important milestone in the world's history, the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Christ. For others, it may be a stepping stone to further research,whether you agree with Bishop William Stubbs that "history is a pack of lies" or with Samuel Taylor Coleridge that "if men could learn from history, what lessons it might teach us!"