The only place of worship in the parish is Morham Parish Church of Scotland. The manse was sold in 1952 after Morham was linked with Garvald (1951); the minister then lived in the Garvald manse.
In 1980 Garvald and Morham were linked with Haddington West Church, and from 1980 the regular Sunday morning service was held in Morham and Garvald churches on alternate Sundays attended by the one congregation, with one Kirk Session. The minister had to take the services in the West Church, Haddington as well. Coffee is served in the Laird’s Loft, Morham or the Garvald Stables, after the services.
At Morham, in 1952 wrought iron light fittings were installed, which were made by John Webster, blacksmith in Garvald. In 1975 the windows were replaced by clear glass. More controversially, an existing memorial window of stained glass (behind the communion table) was unceremoniously removed (1975) and replaced by another that commemorated the son of the Smith family. The family had recently taken up residence in the parish, living beside the church; their son had died in an accident. Sir William McEwan had installed the earlier window in memory of his son-in-law, Sydney McDonald tenant at Northrig farm, who was killed in action in September 1918. On 12 November 1995, the original wooden cross from his grave was brought back from France to be kept at Morham church.
Morham Parish Church from south, 1940s
The surviving war memorials in the parish are the communion table, a table lectern and oak panelling, on which was carved the names of the fallen. In 1975 a new door was made for the vault, and although the old door was rotten, there were no spiders’ webs or dust in it. Nine coffins were still there but one had been damaged by a flood that had risen high enough to shift it.
In the 1980s, individual communion cups were introduced; they were the property of Garvald and Morham. In 1982, the laird’s loft was renovated to make a Sunday school and session room; the windows were glazed instead of being black painted wood with white painted astragals. The steps up to the laird’s loft were repaired. In 1985 the curtained area at the back of the church known as the ‘Dookity Hole’ was opened out and pews from the front were installed. Vestry facilities were available in the laird’s loft. In 1985 an electric organ was installed but latterly, as no organist was available, an American black box was used. Unfortunately it does not have the music for some of the best-known British hymns!
In 1995 water was piped from the mains to a small toilet between the loft steps and the back wall of the church.
The church gates were installed in 1966 in memory of James McLean of Coldale who was good to both the church and hall of the parish. The manse was sold in 1952, the glebe around 1956. The manse owner was given planning permission to convert the old mortuary building in the corner of the walled garden into a potting shed. The walled garden was well looked after, although digging can’t go too deep, as it is said that there are some 13 pauper’s graves there. The coachman’s cottage, stable and byre were sold in 1973, and the cottage was then made into a house.
| Ministers | |
|---|---|
| 1942-50 | John M. Urquhart |
| February 1951 Garvald and Morham linked | |
| 1951-56 | Charles J.P. Cooper |
| June 1957 Garvald and Morham united under the minister living in Garvald | |
| 1956-60 | George D. McMillan |
| 1961-65 | Harry M. Leith |
| 1966-78 | Robert Cunningham |
| 1979-84 | Ian Walker |
| November 1980 linked with West Church, Haddington | |
| 1985-95 | Alastair H. Gray |
| 1996-date | Cameron MacKenzie |