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Friends of Kilfinan Parish Church

The 13^th Century Church of St Finan in Cowal is first recorded between 1231 and 1241 in a series of grants and confirmations,by Duncan son of Ferchar and his nephew Laumon, ancestor of the Lamonts, who gave the Church and all its rights to the Cluniac Monks of Paisley.

Although much altered the church retains its long, low and narrow construction, of ancient mode.

1633 saw the addition of the Lamont North Aisle, the work of Sir Coll Lamont, whose initials S/CL and the date 1633 are carved in the east and west cavetto skewputts of the crowstepped north gable. The same date and initials are carved in relief within a cusped frame on the lintel of the west doorway with D/BS for sir Coll’s wife Dame Barbara Semple The vault itself incorporates late medieval work.

1759 The Bird Cage Belfry, at the west end of the church, was added while the church was undergoing extensive repairs. The bell bears the date 1832.

1881-82 The church owes its present appearance to a restoration by John Honeyman, a Glasgow architect, who submitted a scheme which included a new roof and stone skews, rearranged seating with a new pulpit and benches and two new North windows. He closed the north Lamont Aisle and the west end gallery, shared by the Ardmarnock and Acharossan estates.

2000 With the help of Historic Scotland and many others restoration work on the Church started in the summer of 2000.

During the restoration work the evidence of a medieval door was found where the middle window on the south side is at present and a door lintel on the north wall of the main body of the church.

In the Lamont Vault two small windows were uncovered dating from medieval times. One is behind the stone steps leading up to the Lamont Aisle the other is on the east wall behind a memorial plaque.

2003/4 Work on the interior of the church uncovered the infill of the Lamont Vault in 1633 and its sandstone pillars, a Georgian window arch, wall markings of the old 17th century pulpit by the south door. Medieval bones were uncovered under the floor boards. It is thought that they were cleared from the east of the church yard to make way for the present road in 1750-1759 while the church was being extensively rebuilt.

The next step will be to restore the Lamont Aisle and use it as a visitor centre. The well-preserved Kilfinan Stones dating from the 9^th century will be restored and displayed in the old Lamont Vault.

The Friends of Kilfinan Parish Church is an association of those dedicated to preserve, maintain, repair and restore the fabric of this important building. Although primarily a fund raising venture the association hopes to organise a number of social and educational events. The first of these was a "pilgrimage" to all the ancient religious sites in the Parish on Sunday 8th August 1999 which was so well attended that it was repeated in August 2000. Yet another pilgrimage took place in the year 2000, this time to Eileach an Naoibh in the Garvellach Islands or "Isles of the Sea". This trip involved an outward voyage through the famous whirlpool, the Gulf of Corryvrecken and a return through the equally dangerous "Pass of the Gray Dog". It is hoped that similar events will be offered from time to time in the future. See the Newsletter for details of future events.

Membership of the Association is open to anyone with an interest in the Church or the surrounding area. For further details click here or contact the secretary, Margaret Sutherland, Drum Cottage, Kilfinan, Tighnabruaich, Argyll, PA21 2ER. Telephone: 01700 821207

E-mail:drmcttg@aol.com