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Fernish, Old Parish Church
Church (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Fernish, Old Parish Church
Classification Church (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Bonnavoulin; Ferinish Church
Canmore ID 92510
Site Number NM55SE 21
NGR NM 56685 52240
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/92510
- Council Highland
- Parish Morvern
- Former Region Highland
- Former District Lochaber
- Former County Argyll
NM55SE 21 5668 5224
The roofless shell of this church stands about 350m SE of the present church of Fernish (NM55SE 29: NM 5639 5229), and close to the old road that runs parallel to the existing coast-road, but at a higher level. It is a plain oblong building measuring about 14.2m N-S by 7.8m transversely over walls 0.7m in thickness; the outshot at the S end is evidently a later addition. The main entrance-doorway, placed more or less centrally in the W wall, was round-arched, being flanked by two windows of similar form. A small square-headed window in the same wall may have lit a gallery. There were also two large windows in the E wall as well as a subsidiary doorway in each gable-wall. This church was built in 1780 to replace an earlier one at Cill Dhonnaig (NM55SE 2) and remained in use until the erection of the present church in 1892.
Visited July 1972.
RCAHMS 1980
The parish of Morvern (or Morven) was formed in the early 17th century by uniting the parishes of Kilcholumkill and Kilintach. The church of the latter parish was dedicated to St Fintan of Ath Duirn in Ossory.
H Scott 1915-61.
Site recorded during a survey undertaken as part of a Woodland Grand Scheme (WGS) application covering 71.6ha around Auchnasaul Farm on the SW-facing slopes above the Sound of Mull, approximately 10km W of Lochaline. There were three known sites within the survey area including Fernish, Old Parish Church (NMRS NM55SE 21). The church has been converted for use as a private dwelling and the original walls stand to their full height.
A full report has been lodged with the NMRS.
Sponsor: Historic Scotland
T Holden 1999
The shell of this church has been roofed and converted into a private dwelling since the RCAHMS visit in 1972. The original walls still stand to their full height. An adjoining enclosure on the NE survives as a low stone wall in places but has been removed close to the house in an attempt to improve drainage around the dwelling.
T Holden and J Rideout (Headland Archaeology) 21 May 1999; NMRS 899/143 no.1b
