Manse, Old Manse or rather newer former ManseComing back from a well attended Pisci (Scottish Episcoplian) church to day and contemplating the large (600 seater?) next door, unlike Christ Church, Duns, used every other Sunday, reminds Huttonian that we are coming to the end of an era in June. As from the end of that month we will no longer have a resident incumbent in
the Manse (as opposed to the
Old Manse)and we will be in the 'charge' of the Church of Scotland Minister in Swinton who will also be 'charging' around a number of other kirks in a very large series of linked parishes. With our regular fortnightly congregration of not much more than 20 rattling around in our neighbouring edifice I wonder how long the Minister will be able to service (no pun intended)these hardy souls twice monthly. Paxton, next door with an average (fortnightly)congregration in single figures is likely to fold and the better supported Foulden, rating a weekly service, will leave this parish to go to an enlarged parish including Ayton, Burnmouth, Granthouse, Houndwood and Reston-the A1 corridor. Fishwick will remain within Hutton, Paxton and Fishwick but it does not actually have a church building thus saving it another source of vehicle traffic. To Farmer N's great relief no doubt.
And what is in a name asks the Postman? We are now the Old Manse. But the Manse will presumably be sold and can hardly continue to be called the Manse under non-clerical ownership. Can't call it the Old Manse, Can they? That would really be confusing 'The not quite so Old Manse'? perhaps? 'The more recent former Manse'? A bit clumsy? How about plucking a name out of the air:
Antrim House, for example.