Church Overview

A handsome little Norman Revival kirk constructed as a mission church with free rubble stone dressed with red sandstone in 1897 by Peter MacGregor Chalmers. Its peaceful interior has a fine timber ceiling and a conical roofed apse. It also possesses some lovely oak furniture and two small stained glass windows in the chancel.

St Kiaran’s is located in the ecclesiastical parish of Kilchoman, named after the Celtic missionary St Comman, who tradition asserts established a church in the north east of the parish. The later medieval church at Kilchoman was entirely rebuilt in the 1820s. That replacement Georgian building closed for regular worship in the late 1970s, with all parish services moving to St Kiaran’s (along with the church’s communion table). Kilchoman Parish Church then passed into private ownership and was left to rot and decay, unfortunately becoming, in recent years, a dangerous ruin that has forced the local authority to close the surrounding graveyard, with its many medieval carved stones and exquisite 15th century high cross.

Today St Kiaran’s is linked with Kilmeny, near Ballygrant, St John’s, in Port Ellen, Kilarrow (The Round Church), in Bowmore, Portnahaven Parish Church and Jura Parish Church into a single Islay and Jura Churches Parish. Portnahaven and Kilmeny are earmarked for closure in the near future.

Services

Sundays at 10.30am

Opening Arrangements

Open daily 

Disclaimer

The information about churches in Scotland’s Churches Scheme has been provided by the congregations or taken from the Historic Scotland list and published sources, in particular, the Buildings of Scotland volumes and the RIAS Illustrated Architectural Guides. To contact this specific church please complete the Contact this Church form above. The information is not authoritative; please contact Scotland’s Churches Trust to let us know of any errors or omissions.