Church Overview

Built of granite in 1822, to a design by architect William McCandlish, Kells Parish Church is T-plan kirk with a bold Gothic three-stage square tower at the centre of its south wall. Its interior was mainly reconstructed in 1911, following the original layout. It possesses galleries on three sides with its pulpit on the long south wall.

Notable kirkyard, with three ‘Adam and Eve’ stones of 1706-7 and a delightful upright for Captain Gordon’s gamekeeper, John Murray.

In a union with three other churches, known as Glenkens Church of Scotland. In the summer of 2025, Church of Scotland closure plans forced a vote between the congregations of Kells and St John’s Town of Dalry Parish Churches over which one of their kirks should close. 

Services

Sundays at 10.00 am in the following rotation:

1st Sunday Balmaclellan
2nd and 4th Sundays Dalry
3rd Sunday Kells

If 5th Sunday in the month, service is in one of the other Churches in the Glenkens by rotation.

Opening Arrangements

Open by arrangement

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.