Archaeology Notes

Event ID 756564

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/756564

NR72SW 47 72014 20064

Highland Parish Church [NAT]

OS (GIS) MasterMap, April 2010.

This church was erected in 1803-6 to accommodate the Highland congregation of Campbeltown. The design was commissioned from George Dempster, a Greenock architect, superintendence of the building operations being undertaken by Robert Watt, a Glasgow contractor. The estimated cost of £2395 was considerably exceeded owing to an ill-considered attempt by the heritors and parishioners to change the design of the steeple whilst the structure was in the course of erection, an enterprise which led to the partial collapse of the building. The steeple was demolished by lightning in 1830 and subsequently rebuilt, and again partially demolished and rebuilt in 1884-5.

The building comprises an oblong block measuring 24.2m by 19.4m over all, and having a rectanglar stair-tower placed at each end of the principal, or NE front. The central portion of the facade, which is advanced, terminates in a triangular pediment, now largely concealed by the steeple. The masonry is of harled rubble with red-sadnstone dressings, the steeple being of ashlar. The interior is galleried on three sides, the pulpit occupying the centre of the SW wall.

RCAHMS 1971, visited May 1967.