THE PARISH OF MUCKAIRN, linked with KILCHRENAN & DALAVICH
KILCHRENAN CHURCH
Kilchrenan Parish Church was built by Donald Campbell of Sonachan in 1771. It is probable that the church reused the foundations and possibly some of the structure of an earlier medieval church on the site thought to date back to the 1200s. This earlier church served a parish which included land on both sides of Loch Awe, and in some sources it is referred to as "the Church of Lochaw".
The church you see today largely dates back to a major refurbishment undertaken in 1904 by the architect James Edgar.
The churchyard is home to a number of West Highland graveslabs, thought to date back to the 1300s or 1400s. To the north is the McIntyre Monument, but in many ways the most interesting monuments are at the east end of the church where you find a graveslab carrying a carved inscription and a sword, which has been set vertically into the gable.
Originally the focal point within the church would have been a pulpit placed mid way along the north wall. Pews in the ground floor of the church would have been aligned to face in towards the centre or across the church towards the pulpit. At first floor level there were originally three galleries, at the east and west ends and along the south side.
In 1904 the focus of worship was moved to the east end of the church, and the east and south galleries were removed. The old windows in the south wall were replaced by higher windows, the doorway to the south gallery was blocked, and the set of external stairs at the north east corner was removed. A new door was inserted in the west gable of the church, and a large window was inserted in the east gable.
