 In 1830 Thomas Guthrie, later to become a well known theologian, social reformer and a founder of the Ragged School movement was appointed to the charge of Arbirlot by the heritor the Hon William Maule.Guthrie severed as Minister of Arbirlot for eight years.As well as divinity, Guthrie had studied medicine at Edinburgh and in Paris which knowledge was to be called upon when the parish suffered an outbreak of cholera.