Ancient Roots
Early Life Around Kilmore
People have lived in this part of Scotland for at least 7,000 to 9,000 years, long before metals were used and long before the Romans arrived in Britain. Evidence found in Kilmore, such as tools and the remains of ancient structures, shows that the area was home to a well-established and skilled community.
Archaeologists have uncovered cairns, standing stones and signs of early farming life. These burial cairns tell us that the people here had rituals, beliefs and a sense of community long before Christianity reached Scotland.
Why This Matters for Our Story
By around 500 AD, Kilmore was already an ancient settlement. When St Bean, an Irish missionary, came to spread Christianity, he chose Kilmore because it was a gathering place for people. Although little is recorded about him, the medieval church at Kilmore was dedicated to St Bean, keeping his legacy rooted in this landscape.
Just across the water on Kerrera, the early monastic site of Cladh A’ Bheanaig adds to the picture of a strong early Christian presence in the area.
The Medieval Churches
Kilmore Church
The ruin of Kilmore Church, still standing today, is more than six hundred years old. It may lie on top of the foundations of an even earlier church, possibly linked to the time of St Bean.
The graveyard surrounding it is full of history. Many of the oldest stones are unreadable due to weathering, but carved medieval stones remain. The oldest legible stone belongs to James Campbell, minister of Kilmore, who died in 1756.
In the 19th century, during the Victorian fascination with picturesque ruins, the church was deliberately allowed to fall into a romantic state of disrepair.
Kilbride Church
Founded by St Bride in 525 AD, Kilbride Church near Lerags is another ancient and important site. Until roughly two hundred years ago, Oban was only a small village, so people walked four miles each way to attend services at Kilmore or Kilbride.
Kilbride Church is also the traditional burial place of the Clan MacDougall chiefs. The gravestone of John MacDougall, who lost his lands after supporting the Jacobite Rising of 1715, can still be read.
Kilbride was home to a medieval school, one of only around a hundred in Scotland at the time. A law introduced by King James IV required the eldest sons of the gentry to attend school, making Kilbride a place of some importance for families across Argyll.
Into the Victorian Era
Uniting Kilmore and Kilbride
As more people moved into the growing village of Oban in the early 17th century, the congregations of Kilmore and Kilbride joined together. Services alternated between the two churches each Sunday.
Oban Begins to Grow
By the early 1800s, both ancient churches were overcrowded. Worship often took place outdoors, as there was no suitable building in Oban. This changed in 1821 with the construction of the Chapel of Ease on the site where Glencruitten Church now stands.
At last, the people of Oban had their own church and no longer needed to walk long distances in all weather.
The Travelling Bell
One of the best-known stories from this period is that of the Chapel of Ease bell. Cast in Glasgow in 1786, it was intended for Maryland, USA. The ship carrying it was wrecked near Mull, and the bell was brought to Oban. It was used in Mr Stevenson’s shipyard, then hung from a tree at Kilbride Church to call people to Sunday worship, before eventually returning to Oban.
Another curiosity of the time was a cutting from the willow tree at Napoleon’s grave on St Helena, brought back by an Oban sailor and planted in the churchyard.
Rev. Alexander Beith
The first minister of the new church, Rev. Alexander Beith, proved a challenging figure. His diary described the local people as “wicked, unbelieving ignorant men,” and he offended many in the town. After two and a half years he left, moving to Glasgow, where he also stayed only briefly.
A Time of Change
The Disruption of 1843
A major event in Scottish church history, the Disruption saw around a third of ministers leave the Church of Scotland over concerns about political interference. In Oban, one of the ministers departed along with much of the congregation to form the Free Church of Scotland, building a new church on the hill.
From Gaelic to English Worship
Throughout much of this period, most people in Oban were Gaelic-speaking, and services were held in Gaelic as they had been for centuries. As the town expanded and more English speakers arrived during the Victorian era, demand grew for English-language worship.
This led to the building of a new church in Argyll Square, which opened in 1888. A time capsule, containing newspapers such as The Scotsman, The Herald and The Oban Times, along with coins of the period, was placed behind the memorial stone. Although the building later became the Tourist Information Centre, it is hoped that the capsule remains.
Wartime in Oban
The Second World War
Wartime blackout regulations meant no lights could be shown at night. Evening services had to be moved to the afternoon so people could travel safely home. Without street lighting, the moon was often the only guide along the roads.
The Women’s Guild met only on moonlit nights in the vestry, which had blackout curtains. The Church Hall also played its part by serving as a space for the Red Cross and as accommodation for soldiers stationed in Oban.
Modern Unions and the Present Church
Bringing Congregations Together
1967: Kilmore Church and Oban Old Parish united as Kilmore and Kilbride: Old Oban.
1984: St Columba Argyll Square, Kilmore and Kilbride: Old Oban, and Christ Church joined to form the present Kilmore & Oban congregation, returning to parish boundaries first set in 1584.
Recent Changes
The Corran Esplanade Church (formerly Christ Church) closed in 2013 due to major renovation needs and the lack of hall facilities. Worship is now centred at Oban Parish Church beside the Church Centre, with monthly services continuing at historic Kilmore Kirk.
Other former church buildings in the town now have new roles. Argyll Square Church became the Tourist Information Centre for many years, St Columba’s is now a retail premises, and the old Dunollie Road Church was converted into offices and shops in the 1980s.
Suil Air Ais (Looking Back)
A detailed timeline of ministers, unions and key dates from 1584 to the present is available here:
Full Timeline (PDF)
Ministers of Kilmore & Kilbride (PDF)
Ministers of Oban Parish (PDF)
Ministers of Kilmore & Oban (PDF)
These lists preserve the full historic record for anyone wishing to explore our past in depth.
Listed Building Information
Oban Old Parish Church, Combie Street
Oban Old Parish Church, designed by Alexander Shairp and completed in 1893, is an impressive Romanesque building with a distinctive tower, spire and granite construction. It features stained glass, carved stonework, a marble font, timber gallery, and original organ by Ingram & Co.