Church Overview

This striking 18th-century church, known as ‘The Round Church’, was built by Daniel Campbell of Shawfield and Islay in 1767, at a cost of £1000, as the first building in his new “planned village” of Bowmore. 

Bowmore was initially constructed to rehome the residents of the ancient settlement of Kilarrow, near Bridgend, who were being cleared as they were deemed not directly involved in the work of Islay Estate that was centred around Islay House. The unusual design of the church makes it the only complete circular church in Scotland, rumoured to have been built in this fashion in order that the Devil had no corners around which he could hide!

The main wooden pillar in the centre of the sanctuary is 19 inches in diameter, possibly of hemlock oak, harled and plastered and is said to have been fashioned from a ship’s mast. Above the coved ceiling is a radial king-post roof truss into which eight major beams are jointed. The church has two storeys, the U-shaped gallery was added in 1830, increasing the church’s capacity to 500.

Apart from the fixed furnishings, most of the other wooden furniture is of 20th century date. The church also houses the remains of three members of Campbell of Shawfield family.

The imposing twin black marble sarcophagi, immediately inside the sanctuary, were installed by politician and landowner Walter Frederick Campbell to house his wife Lady Eleanor Campbell’s remains in 1832 and his own when the time came. He was bankrupted before his death, losing his Islay lands, and died in Normandy in 1855, so Lady Eleanor lies to this day alone. 

The church also houses a small display commemorating local man the Rev Dr Donald Caskie, known to history as “The Tartan Pimpernel”, who played an integral role during World War Two in helping around 500 Allied service men escape from occupied France. Dr Caskie died in 1983 and is buried in the graveyard outside, near to a significant number of World War One and Two casualties in a quiet corner of the kirkyard beautifully maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. 

Kilarrow Parish Church is a Destination Hub on our St Columba Pilgrim Journey.

Services

Sundays at 10.00am

Opening Arrangements

Open daily 9.00am-6.00pm

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.