St Conan's Kirk...

the original church was built in 1881 and finished round about 1886. Walter Campbell was the architect and added to it in 1907 and devoted the rest of his life to its execution. He died in 1914 and work was suspended during the First World War; but as soon as it was possible, his sister Helen carried out the plans which he had left. She in turn died in 1927, and the project was finally completed by their Trustees in 1930. Work was slow for not only was no labour brought in from outside, but the stone of which the kirk was built was not quarried, but consisted of boulders lying on the slopes of the hill above, which were rolled down, split and shaped on the spot.

Walter Campbell was his own architect. He did not allow himself to be restrained by convention. Although most of the kirk is in Norman or Romanesque style, he included not only early and late types of this but other and totally different styles. He was seemingly more anxious to achieve beauty than consistency and it was thought that he deliberately tried to include examples of every type of ecclesiastical architecture found in Scotland.

St Conan is the patron saint of Lorne and is reputed to have lived in Glen Orchy. He was a disciple though not a contemporary of Columba and like him came from Ireland. He was chosen to be tutor to the two sons of the King of Scotland and eventually rose to be a Bishop.

This is just one shot of it as I was passing today but it is so beautiful from so many different angles inside and out. The sadness is, that the roof desperately needs lots of money spent on it and the community rely of donations. So I put my money in the box today after taking some photo's. If you are ever passing you should take the time to have a look it is very special little church.