kids encyclopedia robot

List of churches in Highland (council area) facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

The Highland area of Scotland is a beautiful place, full of history and amazing landscapes. It's also home to many churches, some very old and some more modern. These churches have played a big part in the lives of people living here for hundreds of years. They are places for worship, community gatherings, and often stand as important historical buildings.

Long ago, the Highland area was divided into smaller sections called civil parishes. Each parish usually had its own main church. These old divisions helped organize the land and its people.

Exploring Highland Churches

The Highland region has many different types of churches. Some belong to the Church of Scotland, which is the national church. Others are Roman Catholic, Episcopal, or belong to other groups like Baptist and Free Church. Each church has its own story and history.

Churches You Can Visit

Many churches in the Highlands are still active today. They are places where people gather for services, events, and to learn about faith. Here are a few examples of interesting churches in the area:

  • Alness Baptist Church in Alness was founded in 1979. It's a more modern church that serves its local community.
  • Canisbay Parish Church in Canisbay was rebuilt in the 1600s. It's a good example of a historic Church of Scotland building.
  • Immaculate Conception, Stratherrick is a Roman Catholic church built in 1859. It is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception.
  • Dornoch Cathedral in Dornoch is a very old church, originally from medieval times. It was partly burned down in 1570 but was repaired in the 1830s. It's a grand building and a major landmark.
  • Fearn Abbey in Fearn was once a medieval abbey. Over time, it became a Church of Scotland parish church. It has a long and interesting history.
  • Arnisdale Free Church in Arnisdale is a Free Church (Continuing) building. It shows the variety of church groups in Scotland.
  • Halkirk & Westerdale Parish Church in Halkirk was built in 1886. It started as a Free Church before joining the Church of Scotland.

Churches in Inverness

Inverness is the largest city in the Highlands and has many churches. Some of these include:

  • Inverness Cathedral (St Andrew's) was built between 1866 and 1869. It's an Episcopal Church cathedral and was the first new Protestant cathedral built in Great Britain after the Reformation.
  • Old High St Stephen's is a unique Church of Scotland church in Inverness. It actually uses two buildings! The "Old High" part is very ancient, dating back to medieval times. It joined with St Stephen's Church in 2003.
  • St Mary's Catholic Church and St Ninian's Catholic Church are two Roman Catholic churches in Inverness. They serve the Catholic community in the city.
  • Free North Church is another important church in Inverness, belonging to the Free Church.

Churches with Special Stories

Some churches have unique stories or features:

  • Cille Choirill in Kilmonivaig is a Roman Catholic church dedicated to St Kerrill. It dates back to the 1400s and was repaired in 1933. It's still used for services once a month during the summer.
  • St Columba's Church, Canna is on the small island of Canna. Built between 1912 and 1914, it's dedicated to St Columba. It's a small church for a small island community.
  • Strath & Sleat Church of Scotland serves the areas of Strath and Sleat. It uses four different buildings for regular services, including one in Broadford built in 1841.

Churches from the Past

Not all churches from the past are still standing or used today. Some have become ruins, while others have been replaced by newer buildings. These "defunct" churches tell us about the changing history of the Highlands.

  • Halkirk Auld Kirk in Halkirk was built as a church in 1753, but it was a chapel even before that. It closed in 1934 and is now a ruin.
  • Fortrose Cathedral in Fortrose was once the main cathedral for the Ross Diocese in medieval times. It was dedicated to St Peter but stopped being used as a cathedral in the 1500s or 1600s. Only parts of it remain today.
  • Sleat Old Parish Church in Kilmore was built in 1631. It became a ruin after a new church was built in 1876 to replace it.
  • Old St Peter's Church in Thurso was a medieval church dedicated to St Peter. It was replaced by a new church in 1832 and is now a ruin.

These old churches remind us of the long history of faith and community in the Scottish Highlands.

Images for kids

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of churches in Highland (council area) Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.