St Conan's Kirk: Argyll’s Hidden Gem (Scotland)

As you head towards the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides, you no doubt will have to pass through parts of Bute and Argyll – an absolutely beautiful area that is also defined by mountains, islands, lochs and more. There are also some amazing historical sites – Rest and Be Thankful, Ardchattan Priory, and McCaig’s Tower, just to name a few. Another one to add to the list is St. Conan’s Kirk in the town of Lochawe.

History and Architecture

While St Conan’s Kirk may look like a large medieval church, appearances can be deceiving. Construction first began in 1881 lasting until 1886, then further expanded from 1906 to 1914. A man named Walter Douglas-Campbell designed the church for his elderly mother, who could no longer travel the far distance from their residence on an island in Loch Awe to the nearest church. He used many medieval features in his design, including the Norman doorway, the Gothic flying buttresses, a Celtic cross, the Arts and Crafts carvings, the Saxon tower and even a Stone circle! Some of the wooden materials even came from the recently decommissioned and broken up wooden battleships HMS Caledonia and HMS Duke of Wellington.

For interior decoration, Douglas-Campbell hired some of the finest craftsman in the area to decorate the interior. Although he died in 1914, Douglas-Campbell’s instructions were followed and completed in 1930, when the church was consecrated.

Today, the church has three chapels: the Bruce Chapel, the St. Brides Chapel and the St Conval’s Chapel. The church also has a cloister with a connecting arch to the church. However, the most impressive aspects (both in my opinion and from the design) is the view from the loch, which is how the Douglas-Campbell family would have seen the church. The road side is considered the “back” of the church while the lake side is the front.

The lakeside view of St Conan’s Kirk

Location, Getting to and Visiting St Conan’s Kirk

The town of Lochawe stands near Loch Awe, and St Conan’s Kirk sits right on the edge of the lake. The road which runs through the village, the A85, goes to nearby Oban to the west and Tyndrum to the east, making it relatively easy to reach for day trips from these places. While a little bit farther, there are local roads that wind south along the eastern side of Loch Awe, allowing visitors to come up from Inverary for a visit as well. There is enough spaces for 5 cars in the church’s parking lot, although the A85 also has parking space on the layby for visitors.

St Conan’s Kirk is free to visit, although donations are appreciated. The suggested amount is £3 per person. Donations are also accepted online here.

It is operates under two opening schedules: Summer (April to September) 9am – 6pm, Winter (October to March) 9am – 5pm. Please note that the Kirk may closed for events. You can check the calendar here.