Undiscovered Scotland

 

Kenmore Parish Church stands at the western end of The Square, the main open area in the heart of the attractive village of Kenmore. Its site drops away to Loch Tay on its southern and western sides and the most striking views of it are from the road along the south side of the loch.

The church was built in 1760 to serve the planned village of Kenmore, which had been redeveloped here on the site of an earlier village over the period since 1755. Records suggest that in 1759 the architect William Baker of Cheshire was paid 6 guineas to produce plans for a church by the Earl of Breadalbane. These were amended (presumably with the agreement of the Earl) by the builder, George Paterson, during the construction of the church the following year.

The new church incorporated parts of its predecessor on the same site, built in 1669, but little or no evidence of the earlier building can be seen today. Kenmore Church was renovated in 1869, with the main change being a new roof and the heightening of the tower which was topped off with pinnacles. These were removed in 1950.

You reach the church from The Square across a small green and past the village war memorial. Access to the churchyard is via an attractive lychgate. The sloping site means the churchyard drops away steeply to the south and to the west, towards the shores of Loch Tay.

The appearance of the interior of the church largely dates back to the 1870 renovation, though the impression of huge size comes directly from the breadth of the basic structure and the dimension of north and south arms which form the cruciform shape. The white walls of the interior are offset by the dark wood of the pews, roof beams and gallery, and the more honey tones of the wood used at the west end of the church, especially in the screen below the organ.

Many of the windows carry beautifully designed stained glass, and the modern etched window on the north wall at the west end is especially striking.