Glenaray and Inveraray Parish Church, an A-listed building with a distinctive architectural design reflecting linguistic divides, has been put on the property market with offers over £195,000. Located in Inveraray, Argyll and Bute, on the shores of Loch Fyne, the church has stood for over 200 years.
Designed by architect Robert Mylne and constructed between 1795 and 1802, the church was built to accommodate two separate congregations within a single structure. A thick internal wall divides the building into two near-identical halves, each with its own entrance and portico. One side was intended for an English-speaking congregation, while the other served the Gaelic-speaking Highland community, a design that mirrored the linguistic and cultural divisions of the era.
A central tower and spire, which once rose from the dividing wall, were demolished in 1941, altering the building's original silhouette. Over time, traditions within the church evolved. In 1930, the two congregations united, and by 1957, the former Gaelic section was repurposed as a church hall, with its gallery converted into the Paul Fraser Memorial Chapel.
The church's construction was part of a larger redevelopment plan orchestrated by the Dukes of Argyll following the Highland clearances in the 1770s, which saw the original village relocated to make way for a reconfigured Inveraray Castle estate.
The sale of Glenaray and Inveraray Parish Church is part of a broader initiative by the Church of Scotland to reduce its property portfolio. Amid declining congregations and rising maintenance costs, the church is selling off numerous surplus kirks and manses across the country. A spokesperson for the Church of Scotland stated that downsizing its property holdings is a key component of reforms aimed at ensuring the organization is efficient and equipped for its mission in the 21st century.