High Kirk, Dunoon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids High Kirk |
|
|---|---|
| Old Parish Church | |
.jpg)
High Kirk, 2011
|
|
| 55°56′50″N 4°55′32″W / 55.947188°N 4.925433°W | |
| Location | Dunoon, Argyll and Bute |
| Country | Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Website | Cowal Kirk Website |
| History | |
| Status | Closed |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Closed |
| Heritage designation | Category B listed building |
| Designated | 20 July 1971 |
| Architect(s) | James Gillespie Graham |
| Architectural type | Gothic revival |
| Years built | 1816 |
The High Kirk, also called the Old Parish Church, is a historic church building in Dunoon, Scotland. It belongs to the Church of Scotland. You can find it on Kirk Street, just south of the town center. The church was built in a special style called Gothic revival. This means it looks like old Gothic churches. It is also a Category B listed building, which means it's an important historical building. The High Kirk closed its doors recently. Its last church service was on October 1, 2023.
A Look Back in Time
The High Kirk was finished in 1816. It was designed by an architect named James Gillespie Graham from Edinburgh. The church was built near where a much older church once stood. That older church was from the 15th century. It was known as the Bishop's Palace. It served as the main church for both Roman Catholic and Episcopalian Bishops of Argyll.
By the late 1700s, this old building was falling apart. It was taken down, and its stones were used to help build the High Kirk we see today. In 1834, the church was made bigger by David Hamilton from Glasgow. Just five years later, the church's tower was made taller. It was raised by eight feet. This tower has a clock on each of its four sides. These clocks were a gift from William Campbell. Later, in 1909, Andrew Balfour made the church longer and wider. The beautiful window in the chancel (the area around the altar) was added in 1939. It was created by Douglas Hamilton.
The Graveyard
The church has a graveyard with very old gravestones. Some of these stones date back to the 13th century. Important people are buried here. These include bishops Andrew Boyd, John Cameron (who passed away in 1623), and Hector McLean.
See Also
- List of listed buildings in Dunoon
