As it’s St Fillan’s 900th anniversary I’m looking at Rev. Rutherford’s children’s address, where he talks about the history of the church, the second one is from 15th Jan ’67.
As you approach the church gate, on the right is the entrance to the castle garden, above the gate is an inscription with the date 1632 and the letters E.W.M. and C.A.M., these are the initials of William the seventh Earl of Morton and his wife Anne. They loved Aberdour castle and built the gardens and the great wall. On the garden side it is 12 feet (3.6m) high and on the church lane side 18 feet (5.4m) high.
If you look at the mortar that holds the stones together, you can see it is made of lime and you may be able to see the sea shells that it is made from. It has been built very well and we have a lovely garden. How come it has lasted so long when other walls have crumbled? – it is because of the foundations William built it on.
This wall has a message for all of us, for our lives are like the wall. They need to be built on good foundations. The foundations of a good home, a good education and good examples. Another foundation is that of our faith in Jesus. With it we can stand when life knocks us and we can give shelter to others.