Silent Sunday….So off to Church

Ardgour Parish Church, North Corran

As you travel round the Highlands of Scotland you can find numerous old, many ruined, Churches, Chapels, Kirks, and ancient places of worship.  With all the ruins about you could be forgiven if you thought the Highlanders had given up religion.

Nothing would be further from the truth.  Now I am not talking about the towns and Cities not even the numerous villages that all have many more than just one place of worship. As you travel round the Highlands you come across fairly modern churches away from a centre of population.  They all seem well kept by obviously proud congregations, a congregation that must be from a wide country community.

Ardgour Parish Church  may not be one of the remotest that we have found, but still located well away from hustle and bustle of life. Located on the western shore of Loch Linnhe it is part of the wider parish of Ardgour, Morvern and Strontian.

The exterior is of local granite with a slate roof, built in1829, simple in design in what is known as the Parliamentary Style.

The interior appears much more modern….

In fact the interior was installed in 1931.  A curved wooden ceiling lowers the height and a magnificent carved wood Alter and Screen below a simple stained glass window give the interior a distinctive design and then the colour choice of yellow adds light to whole interior.

Off the beaten track maybe…. but well cared for and many signs that the church is well attended.  The care extends to the graveyard that surrounds the church far better maintained than so many of our churches in our towns and cities.

But what better way can there be than when leaving the Church you are greeted with a wonderful view down the Loch towards Ben Nevis…

 

22nd October

(C) David Oakes 2017