The Lowland Church

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The Lowland Church

Postby Ship called Dignity » Sat Jan 14, 2006 2:38 pm

I was interested to read lately the following building was in fact The Lowland Church in Kirk Street which is the oldest surviving religious building in Campbeltown. Built in 1706.

As far as I can now see it is just a Hall?

Anyway, once again, I am sure someone else has something on this.

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Postby 4th gen Suthen' » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:02 pm

That's good Davie, great photos of the Lowland Church and the nice houses on the TA Hall site..............and you did not even have to move....jeest burrled aroon!
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Postby Ninja Mania » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:12 pm

Its amazing the miles you'll cover when your pushing a pram D.p is'nt it.
Im lead to believe that a bit of that church come hall was demolished, but this could be rubbish. Dont know where the story came from, but if its true i would imagine the masons hall is built onto the part that was knocked down.
Mayby one of our older members like Pete Reek would know if this is true.
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Postby Pete Reek » Sat Jan 14, 2006 3:36 pm

et:
Last edited by Pete Reek on Mon Mar 27, 2006 7:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby WC1 » Sat Jan 14, 2006 6:33 pm

What is now the Highland Parish Church hall was originally the Lowland Church of 1706. The first parish church was built in 1642 in the area of what is now the triangle in front of the Ardshiel Hotel. We know the Grammar School was housed in it in the early 1700s because in 1718 the Town Council had to pay for the repair of "ye damage done to ye Glass Windows by ye Scholars while settled yre". The only relic of this church is a bell which can be found in the gallery of the present Highland Church. The main language of the area at the time was Gaelic and the Lowland Church was built for who wished to worship in English rather than Gaelic (there having been a big influx of lowlanders to the area in the 17th century). The original church was a thatched building and was probably built sometime in the late 1600s. It was replaced by a slated building on the same site in 1706. The Lowland congregation eventually needed a bigger church and moved to a new building on Castlehill in 1781 (closed in 1971 and now Castlehill Mansions). The previous Lowland Church in Kirk Street fell into ruin but was renovated in 1904 when it became the hall of the Highhland Church. I think there's an engraved stone in the wall giving these dates. I don't think there was ever any part of the early church on the site of the Masonic Lodge and none of the old photographs show any part of the building extending in that direction.
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Postby Ship called Dignity » Sat Jan 14, 2006 10:20 pm

Thanks for that WC1.

I bought my father the Campbeltown Book for his Christmas last year and was reading this bit when I was up at New Year so I have taken the book for a good read. 8)

What is the hall used for now? I remember using the hall for Summer Clubs when I was wee (can't remember the clubs) and it was a good hall. What is it like now, anyone?
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Postby paraffin man » Sat Jan 14, 2006 11:55 pm

I know the hall is used annually for the kids music festival & something tells me that the aulf folks week also use it?
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Postby WC1 » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:22 am

And of course the Highland Church use it themselves - coffee mornings, fund-raising lunches, an annual quiz, weekly badminton (?) and I'm not sure if the Sunday School still meets there or in the church.
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hall

Postby amron » Sun Jan 15, 2006 9:17 pm

Just found this is an old book called Argyll's Highlands by John MacKay published 1902.
The Duchess of Kintyre who passed away her widowed years at limecraigs known as the Duke of Argyll house wished to attend the one and only Church at the time in campbeltown.
The service was in Gaelic so that Argylls Covenanters and the Lowlanders could not join in.
The Duchess wished for an English service but there was bad blood between Highlanders and the Lowlanders and the Highlanders declared there would be no English in the Church.
The Duchess was determined to have her own way and approached the church on a certain Sabbath and was met at the door by MacNeal of Ugadale with his naked sword in hand to prevent the Duchess and her followers from entering the building.
The Duchess asked MacNeal wheter he purposed to keep her out He replied "No your Grace, but I will cut off your tail" meaning he would let her in and not the followers.
After that she built her Lowlanders an English church in Kirk Street and when she died her heart was buried beneath the door step while her body was lain in the graveyard at Kilkerran.

Found loads of old stories in this book it is filled with traditional tales around Kintyre.

The tales had been passed down through generations but i shall try to add some more.
There are loads around Carradale and Saddle and Southend makes interesting reading.

Has anybody else heard this tale......
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lowland church

Postby Big Bob » Sun Jan 15, 2006 10:56 pm

The badminton players from Trumpton played against a Campbeltown team in the Lowland Church way back in 1965. :D
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