St Conan's Kirk Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids St Conan's Kirk
St Conan's Kirk (view from road)
St Conan's Kirk Location in Argyll and Bute
56°23′43″N 05°03′15″W / 56.39528°N 5.05417°W / 56.39528; -5.05417
OS grid reference	NN115267
Location	Argyll and Bute
Country	Scotland
History
Status	Chapel
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Category A
Architect(s)	Walter Douglas Campbell

St Conan's Kirk is a very special church found in the village of Loch Awe in Argyll and Bute, Scotland. In 2016, people voted it one of the top 10 buildings in Scotland from the last 100 years. It was first built as a small church, called a "chapel of ease," by the Campbell family who lived on Innis Chonan. This amazing church is also protected as a "Category A listed building," which means it's a very important historic place.

The Robert the Bruce Chapel inside St Conan's Kirk

The Kirk's Unique Design
- Special Features Inside
- Special Chapels to Explore
Who Owns and Cares for the Kirk?
Other Buildings Nearby
Gallery
See also

The Kirk's Unique Design

St Conan's Kirk was designed by an architect named Walter Douglas Campbell. He was the younger brother of Archibald Campbell, who was the first Baron Blythswood. Walter started building the church between 1881 and 1886. He then made it much bigger from 1906 until he passed away in 1914.

Walter also designed his family's large house nearby on Innis Chonain. He lived there with his artist sister, Helen, and their mother. The church has a mix of different old building styles, from Roman to Norman. It is made from local stone.

Special Features Inside

The church has a main area called a nave and a special front part called a chancel. The seats in the chancel have beautiful covers. Huge, rough rocks from nearby Ben Cruachan form the pillars that hold up the chancel arch. The parts of the church that stick out on the sides, called transepts, help make the building look like a cross. There is also a tall tower and a pointed top called a spire.

Walter Douglas Campbell never married or had children. His sister, Helen, made sure that the final work on the church was finished by 1927, the year she died. St Conan's Kirk was officially opened and blessed in 1930.

The church has a small organ. It also has an old window that came from another church called South Leith Parish Church. One of the most interesting things inside is a small piece of bone. People say it belonged to Robert the Bruce, who was a famous King of Scotland!

Special Chapels to Explore

Inside St Conan's Kirk, there are three smaller chapels:

The Bruce Chapel has a beautiful statue of Robert the Bruce, made from carved wood and alabaster.
The St Brides Chapel has a carved statue of Walter Douglas Campbell, the architect.
The St Conval's Chapel is named after the 4th Lord Blythswood.

The fancy metal gates for the St Brides and St Conval's Chapels were made by an artist named Thomas Hadden.

Who Owns and Cares for the Kirk?

Even though the local Church of Scotland uses St Conan's Kirk for services once a month, the church actually belongs to an independent group called the St Conan's Church Trust. In 2014, a group called "Friends of St Conan's Kirk" was created to help support and look after this amazing building.

Other Buildings Nearby

There are other interesting buildings close to St Conan's Kirk in the village of Lochawe:

St Conan's Tower is about 0.5 miles (0.80 km) away.
Innis Chonain House.
Badnaiska, which was a summer home for a minister.
The House of Letterawe, which used to be the home of the famous author Mary Stewart (novelist).