manse

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The Old Manse, Concord, Massachusetts.

A manse ( /ˈmæns/; from Latin mansus, "dwelling", from manere, "to remain"^[1]) is a house inhabited by, or formerly inhabited by, a minister, usually used in the context of a Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, United Church and Second Reformed Church of Zeeland, MI. The implication is that the minister has been called by God and will remain until he/she is called elsewhere.^[1]

When selling a former manse, the Church of Scotland always requires that the property should not be called "The Manse" by the new owners, but "The Old Manse" or some other acceptable variation. The intended result is that "The Manse" refers to a working building rather than simply apply as a name.

Popular usage

The West Manse, Sanday, Orkney, Scotland (formerly the Free Kirk manse)

Many notable Scots are referred to as a "son (or daughter) of the manse", as a parent was a Presbyterian minister, and they were therefore brought up in a manse.

Among those to whom the epithet has been applied are:

• Douglas Alexander, Secretary of State for International Development
• Wendy Alexander (sister of Douglas), Labour MSP; former leader of the Labour Party group in the Scottish Parliament (2007–2008); former minister in the Scottish Executive (1999–2002)
• John Logie Baird, engineer and inventor of the world's first working television system
• Richard Baker MSP, Shadow Justice Minister in the Scottish Parliament
• Gordon Brown,^[2] former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
• John Buchan, novelist and Unionist MP, served as Governor General of Canada
• Peter Fraser, advocate; former Lord Advocate (1989–1992); former Conservative and Unionist MP
• James Gray, Conservative MP
• William "Captain" Kidd, pirate
• Andrew Bonar Law, former Prime Minister (1922–1923)
• Eric Liddell, athlete and rugby internationalist, winner of the 400 metres at the 1924 Olympic Games; missionary to China; portrayed in the film Chariots of Fire
• Sheena McDonald, broadcaster
• Michael Moore, Liberal Democrat MP
• John Reith, founder of the BBC
• William Ritchie Sorley, philosopher
• David Steel, former leader of the Liberal Party and the Social and Liberal Democrats; former Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament
• David Tennant (stage name of David McDonald), actor
• William Montgomery Watt, Islamic studies scholar and Orientalist
• John Witherspoon, signatory of the United States Declaration of Independence

See also

• Rectory
• Vicarage
• Mary Manse College
• Mystery of the Manse, see Haunted Mansion (comic)
• The Old Manse in Concord, Massachusetts
• Vrable manse

References