Alexander Guthrie

Alexander Guthrie was one of ten children born to James Guthrie (of Kingennie later of Pitforthie) and Jean[1] Lyon, eldest daughter of James Lyon, the 6th Laird of Easter Ogil; and his wife, a daughter of Guthrie of that Ilk (Lyon, 1734). Alexander was the eighth child and the fifth of six sons (O'Neill, 2025).

The manuscript belonging to (Lyon, 1870) clearly demonstrates the link between the Guthrie of Pitforthie family and Guthrie of that Ilk. Leaving links to Guthrie Castle aside the Guthrie of Pitforthie family consisted of six sons and four daughters baptised (or born)[2] over a sixteen year period (O'Neill, 2025).

Amongst the Guthrie boys, Alexander was the third of four sons who entered the ministry.

Alexander Guthrie became minister of Stracathro in 1655, and died 1661, aged about 33. He married Magdalen, daughter of Alexander Carnegie of Cookstone, who survived until 1702 (Jervise, 1879). “Educated at the University of St Andrews; M.A. (26th July 1649); was on the Exercise 10th July 1651; called in May, and ord. 19th July 1655. It is said the change to Episcopacy so affected him that it shortened his life ... Alexander's marriage to Magdalen agve them a number of children - "Alexander, served heir 12th July 1667; Margaret; Janet (married William, grandson of William Lyon of Ogil); May (married David Lyon, W.S., Commissary of Brechin)" (Scott, 1925).

Stracathro (Stricathrow) church is an historically significant church in its own right. “In 1296 King John Balliol submitted to Edward I in the graveyard before abdicating the throne of Scotland.” (Scotland's Churches Trust, 2025) at Stracathro. Indeed, “The submission of Baliol took place, first in the churchyard of Stracathro before Anthony Beck, Bishop of Durham, on the evening of Saturday, July 7th, and had the form of a personal repentance and amendment, by withdrawing from the French League ; and on Tuesday, July 10th following he again appeared before the English prelate, in the Castle of Brechin, and at this time handed over his kingdom and all his rights in it to King Edward, in the presence of several of the Scotch nobles as witnesses. But Edward was not personally present at either act of Baliol's humiliation.”[3]

Jervise visited Stracathro church and recorded what was on the various graves and markers prior to publication of his Memorials and Inscriptions work in 1879. What was left visible on Alexander’s headstone “… to whose memory there was a monument upon which these traces alone remain:--" (Jervise, 1879).

A visit to the Stracathro church today will provide a pleasant surprise – the gravestone of Alexander Guthrie has been refurbished since Jervise’s visit. Figure 2 shows the principal face of the gravestone. A fuller transcription can be found in (Edwards, 1916). The immediate questions of who did this and why are answered by the text on the stone. James Guthrie in 1916. It appears to me that some 250 years after his death, Alexander Guthrie still reached people. This James Guthrie was the second son of Rev Dr Thomas Guthrie DD and father of Major T. Maule Guthrie. Readers will note that the Guthrie Clan motto is inscribed on the gravestone: Sto Pro Veritate, or “I stand for truth”. It seems obvious that Alexander Guthrie had either inspired James in some way; or even that they were related.

[1] Jonet aka Janet aka Jean.

[2] From 1855 the State required records of Birth, Marriage and Death to be recorded. Prior to this the Church kept records of Baptism, Marriage and Burial. Depending upon the point in time an event happens then it may be, for example, a Birth or a Baptism and these can be a number of years apart.

[3] Ragman Rolls, pp. 82, 84 ; Prynne, Hist. pp. 647, 650.

References

Edwards, D. H., 1916. The Auld Neuk House. Brechin: Brechin Advertiser.

Jervise, A., 1879. Epitaphs and Inscriptions from Burial Grounds and Old Buildings Vol 2. Edinburgh: David Douglas.

Lyon, W., 1734. Lyon of Ogil. Claughton: s.n.

Lyon, W. F. K., 1870. Lyon of Ogil. London: s.n.

O'Neill, A. C., 2025. Guthrie of Pitforthie. [Online]
Available at: https://mylifeswork.net/guthrie-of-pitforthie
[Accessed 8 May 2025].

Scotland's Churches Trust, 2025. Stracathro Parish Church. [Online]
Available at: https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church/stracathro-parish-church/
[Accessed 7 June 2025].

Scott, H., 1925. Fasti ecclesiae scoticanae; the succession of ministers in the Church of Scotland from the reformation. Edinburgh: Oliver and Boyd.