Henry Moncrieff-Wellwood

St Cuthberts Church, Edinburgh as seen from Moncrieff-Westwood's grave

He was born at Blackford near Stirling in February 1750 the eldest son of Sir William Moncrieff, Baronet, who equally had the dual claim to fame of being minister of the parish. After a local education he studied Theology at Glasgow University. On the death of his father it was established that he should fill the role of minister in his stead but he was not yet old enough. In 1768 he removed to Edinburgh University to complete his studies.

He was ordained on 15 August 1771 aged 21 and began preaching in Blackford. His talent outstripped this tiny parish and in 1775 he successfully obtained the patronage of his uncle to take over as minister of St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh (then generally called the West Kirk). He was first suggested as Moderator of the General Assembly in 1780, but lost to the much older Rev Harry Spens. He was however elected Moderator in 1785 still aged only 35.

He was a member of the Sons of the Clergy. He lived his later life at 13 Queen Street.

He died at Bruntsfield Links on 9 August 1827 following a long illness (compounded by the death of his wife). He is buried in the north-west corner of the northern section of St Cuthberts Churchyard.

In 1773 he was married to Susan Barclay (d.1826) his cousin and the daughter of James Robertson Barclay WS of Keavil.

His eldest son William Moncrieff-Wellwood LLD was Advocate for the Admiralty and died in Malta in 1813.

On Henry's death the baronetcy passed to his second son, James Moncrieff-Wellwood (b.1776).

• Sermons Preached 1805-1806
• Discourses on the Evidences of the Jewish and Christian Revelations (1815)
• A Life of Dr John Erskine (1818)

He was painrted by Sir Henry Raeburn and an engraving was made by Thomson for wider use of the image.