News from the village of Ardentinny, Argyll, Scotland.
Communion tokens were widely used in the Presbyterian Churches of Scotland until the First World War. A communion token was given to each church member if the session felt that the person was worthy to receive communion. This Ardentinny Church token from 1871 simply includes the name of the church, the date and a bible verse. We would welcome more information on these Ardentinny tokens and their history.
Useful links:
History of church tokens
Ardentinny Church brief history
Until 1933, the Smith family of Mauchline in Ayrshire was famous for the manufacture of a huge range of wooden gifts known as Mauchline Ware. These souvenirs were much in demand by affluent Victorians travelling abroad. Huge quantities were also exported to mainland Europe, the US, South Africa and Australia. Many of these souvenirs were decorated with photographic transfers of their place of purchase. The image below of a bookmarker shows a transfer of the old Ferry House, Ardentinny with the old Glenfinart House in the distance. It was probably bought as a souvenir in Ardentinny and possibly dates from around 1900.
More information on Mauchline Ware is available here and here.
This postcard published by M. Gardner of Ardentinny Post Office was mailed by a holidaymaker to a Kilmacolm address on 23 September, 1909. The Old School can be seen on left of picture. Can anyone name the donkey?
A little credit should go to the beleagured Argyll & Bute Council roads department for speedily dealing with the holes in the roads in Ardentinny caused by the recent freezing temperatures. Hopefully they will soon be dealing with the much larger hole which appeared some two months ago at the entrance to the village.
You can now donate to the Glenfinart Walled Garden Appeal online at www.mycharitypage.com/ArdentinnyCommunityTrustLtd.