Granting of charter to Kilwinning Abbey.

To the Abbot of Kilwinning Abbey belonged the tiends and patronage of Stevenston as well as Kilwinning, Irvine, Kilmarnock, Loudoun, Dalry, Kilbirnie, Beith, Dunlop, Stewarton, Dreghorn, Ardrossan, and West Kilbride, all in Ayrshire. Dumbarton and Kilmaronoch in Dunbartonshire. North and south Knapdale in Argyle and Kilmorg and Kilbride in Arran.

At the Reformation this system all changed and the Stevenston Church which in pre-reformation times was dedicated to St. Monach or St. Monk was destroyed, probably at the same time as Kilwinning Abbey. The present High Kirk church was probably built on the same site.

PLACES OF WORSHIP in Saltcoats and Stevenston Ayrshire Directory - 1837 - by Pigot

Established Church, Stevenston - Rev. David Landsborough

Established Church of Ardrossan and Saltcoats - Rev john Bryce

Relief Church, Rev Jas. Giffen

Secession Church, Rev David Ronald

Secession Church, Rev James Ellis

Baptist, Rev James Blair

Gaelic Church

David Landsborough attending the first Free Church General Assembly returned to find the church declared vacant by the Presbytery of Irvine. David Landsborough was one of the original 474 ministers of the Established Church who left and formed the Free Church of Scotland. The 'Disruption' as it was know. A new church was erected in Saltcoats owing to the difficulty of getting a suitable site in Stevenston.