Carradale congregation marks 150 years
A CENTURY and a half of worship will be commemorated at Saddell and Carradale Church.
On Sunday parishioners will hold a celebratory service after 150 years of worship in the present building.
It replaced the original church likely to have been similar in design to the former church at Claonaig.
The original building could have been repaired for £450 but two benefactors decided to commission a new building at a cost of £1,266 and to share the cost of the difference, £806.
Work on the new building, on the site of the old one, started in June 1875 with kirk session meetings and services being held in Saddell schoolhouse during the construction period.
Great credit
On June 24 1866 two Gaelic services and an English service were held in the newly completed building which was described by the Argyllshire Herald: ‘This elegant place of worship ... reflects great credit on its architect as well as the liberality of the heritors who contributed towards its erection.’
The Rev John G Levack, who was the minister in Carradale for 42 years, conducted both of the Gaelic services, and on Sunday there will be a reading in Gaelic from the same text preached in 1866.
Campbeltown Brass will be joining in the celebration and anybody who has a connection with Carradale, past and present, is invited to attend.