HISTORY of the present LAMLASH CHURCH BUILDING

CHURCH - The architects of the church were H & D Barclay. Their design however is believed to be strongly influenced by the plans and drawings for a church by F.T. Pilkington. These had been commissioned by the 12th Duke in 1870 and in 1871 won a prize for Pilkington at an architectural exhibition in London.

Basically it is a T-plan building in Gothic style and has gross dimensions of 27.2m x 19.3m. It is constructed of snecked, bull-faced red sandstone quarried at the north end of the island and has ashlar dressings. It consists of a deep base course, an eaves course and buttresses to the west* gable. The windows are single pointed with nook shafts and the roof is finished with Westmorland green slates and terracotta ridge tiles. This was completely refurbished in 1997 at a cost of £180,000.

TOWER - The massive campanile tower on the south* elevation is the main feature of the church. It is not a usual form of construction in Scotland and it is understood that there are only five in the country. It is 29.2m in height and is constructed in similar materials to that used in the main building. The entrance to the tower and church is gained via a pointed-arch doorcase with squat nook and foliate capitals. The upper part of the tower is made up of a corniced upper stage with three light pointed-arch openings in each elevation. Above these are a row of flight-holes set back as an eaves course. The whole is capped by a finialled pyramidal spirlet. The design of the tower bears a close similarity to that of the old campanile of San Marco in Venice which collapsed circa 1910.

In the grounds on the south side of the church, stands a small circular building with a conical slated roof. This was built as a privy for the minister before the advent of internal toilet accommodation.

At the front of the church there is part of a stone cross depicting the crucifixion and a kneeling figure and a baptismal font. They are thought to have come from the old monastery on Holy Isle.

CHURCH HALL - The hall behind the church was built circa 1870 as a parish hall and contained a library and reading room. It was raised by public subscription and a grant from The Baird Trust in Glasgow. In 1994 it was classified as a Category B building, Its construction is similar to that of the church and is of similar materials, again quarried locally.

When the present church was under construction, the hall was used for Sunday services as it was capable of seating 200 people. It continued in ownership of the church until it was disposed to the Church of Scotland in 1962.

NOTE - In describing any ecclesiastical building it is assumed the alter or pulpit is always set in the east and all locations are given on that basis. With our pulpit set in actual or true west this means that all locations differ by 180 degrees. For example : true direction EAST - ecclesiastical direction WEST. where the location is referred to with an * it means that this is the ecclesiastical direction.

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