The book Arran; - Cook Clan

Y8 THE BOOK OF ARRAN
church of Kilbride, must have been from the first of almost
equal ecclesiastical importance. The present church is on the
Kilmorie water, beyond where Lag shelters in its fir plantings
: west over the hills are the foundations of a St. Mary's
on the Slidderie water, which quite possibly may have been the
mediaeval church.^ What is to be noted is that our earliest
reference to Arran parochialism gives a Sir Maurice as ' vicar
of Arran,' in a confirmation, as usual then, undated, but
apparently of about 1294.^ ' Sir ' {dominus) is merely the
honourable title of a priest ; it signified in this connection
a ' Pope's knight,' not a lay dignitary. It was like our
modern Rev., but used only in the case of one who did not
boast a university degree. That he was merely a vicar indicates
that some other person or corporation—we shall meet
the latter case presently—held the rectorship or was parson
proper, drawing the stipend and possessed of full parochial
rights, but delegating his local duties to a substitute or
' vicar.' This was a common practice ; it being also too
common to have this duty cheaply done, even in the magnificent
thirteenth century, by an illiterate hireling. What
is also remarkable is the description ' vicar of Arran,' as if
the whole island was but one parish. Clearly, however, his
parish church would be Kilbride. If the whole island was
but one parish and could claim but a single vicar, Kilmorie
can scarcely have counted for much, yet we shall see that,
when we do touch its records, it was a really good living,
worthy of a vicar, at least, of its own. It is, on these terms,
a possible inference that its foundation was then, at best,
but recent and inconsiderable. Who was rector of Arran
there is nothing to say. Nor can it be fixed when the island
was divided into two parishes ; some time late in the thirteenth
or early in the fourteenth century may be guessed
1 Vol. i. pp. 227 -«.
^ Regislrum de Monaster, de Passelet (Maitland Club), p. 129 ; cf. Table of Contents
for date.
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