John Welch - Minister (1595-1600)
One of the attacks on Welch was as follows. Welch always kept two good horses for his own use, and the wicked man, when he could do no more, either with his own hand or by his servants, cut off the rumps of the two innocent beasts, upon which they both died. Such a base attack as this persuaded him to listen to a call to the ministry at Kirkcudbright, which was his next post.
At Kirkcudbright (a hotbed of Catholicism, the previous minister, together with a neighbouring minister were assassinated. Welch’s appointment to such a difficult place shows in what high esteem he was viewed.) he stayed from 1595 to 1600; but there he reaped a harvest of converts, who continued long after his departure, and became a part of Samuel Rutherford’s flock, though not in his parish, while he was minister of Anwoth; yet when his call to Ayr came, the people of the parish of Kirkcudbright never offered to detain him.
Additional Information
The church was re-built in 1730.