Lochcarron Old Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lochcarron Old Parish Church |
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Lochcarron Old Parish Church (2018)
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 Lochcarron Old Parish Church
Location in Ross and Cromarty
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| Location | Ross and Cromarty, Scotland |
The Lochcarron Old Parish Church was finished in 1836. It was a Church of Scotland building, following the Presbyterian faith. People often called it 'An Eaglais Mhor' (meaning 'Big Church') or simply the 'East Kirk'. It was built right next to the salt water of Loch Carron in the Scottish Highlands. Today, it is no longer used as a church.
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Where is the Church?
The church is about a mile from Lochcarron village, along the A896 road. This road is part of the famous North Coast 500 tourist route. The church and its graveyard are inside the Lochcarron Golf Course. It sits at the foot of Glas Bheinn mountain (728m). You can also see An Ruadh-stac mountain (892m) from the graveyard. To the east, you can clearly see Fuar Tholl (907m). These mountains are part of the Torridon group.
Not the Only Old Church
It's important not to confuse this church with another old church from 1751. That one is a ruin, just a bit further down the road. There is also a newer Lochcarron Parish Church in the village.
Inside the Old Parish Church
This building is a 'Grade B listed building'. This means it's an important historical site. It stands in the new Lochcarron Burial Ground, which is still used today. The building has been changed inside three times since it was built.
How the Church Changed Over Time
Originally, the church was one big room. It had a tall pulpit in the middle and seating areas called galleries on each side. It could hold 700 to 800 people! The main doors were on either side of the pulpit.
Later, the church was divided into two rooms. The galleries were removed, and the pulpit was changed. The old doors near the pulpit were blocked up. New doors were added at the back of the church.
Finally, it became one large room again. A new gallery was added at the opposite end from the pulpit. Under this gallery, there were two small rooms called vestries. A new entrance porch was also added. One of the back doors was blocked up and turned into a window. At some point, wooden floors were put in, as it used to have a soil floor.
Special Features of the Building
The church still has a very special and rare long central communion table. This table is continuous, meaning it doesn't have any breaks. The wooden floors are still in good condition. Even though it looks small from the outside, it's actually very large inside. It was once called "One of the biggest enclosed spaces in the Highlands."
The four tall wooden windows at the front are three and a half meters high. They have a special design called Gothic Y-tracery. These windows are still the original ones. The windows above the pulpit are also original.
Many churches in the Highlands look like a simple oblong box, just like the East Kirk. But what makes this church special are its very large and fancy Y-tracery windows, and its huge size. Inside, it's quite simple, which is typical for Presbyterian churches. The windows have clear glass, not stained glass. This was to "let in the light of the lord."
History of the Church
The Church of Scotland sold the building in 2005. Before that, it was mainly used for funerals and looked after by the local community. The church was so big that it became difficult to use. Over time, the church community divided, and other smaller churches were built in the village.
The East Kirk was always known for being very cold. Its stone walls are 30 inches thick! Because it was so cold and large, it was often neglected. The community council helped look after it and insured it. However, the cost of insurance became too high, so it was sold.
From 2005 to 2018, the building was mostly left empty. The owner at that time removed the pews (church benches), the organ, and the plaster from the walls. In 2018, the church was sold again. The new owners are now carefully restoring it to its original condition. They are using traditional building methods. The roof was repaired, and the building now uses sustainable and green technology. It is now a home.
