Portnahaven Church Services
Sundays at 10.30am
The Church is open everyday and welcomes all visitors.
Location
The Church, overlooking Portnahaven village harbour, can be found at the end of the main road leading to both Portnahaven and Port Wemyss (A847).
Portnahaven Church History
Portnahaven Church is a ‘Parliamentary Church.’ Following the suppression of the Highlands in the 18th century after the Jacobite rebellions, the Highlands and Islands entered a period of neglect and de-population, leading, among other things, to the ruination of many small parish churches.
Parliament belatedly set up a commission in 1823 and employed Thomas Telford to produce designs for 43 churches. Of these, 32 were built, and today Portnahaven, built on Islay in 1828, is one of the few to retain the unaltered Telford design. However, he did not dictate the colours to be used, so it is to someone else we owe a debt of gratitude for our warm pink and grey painted interior!
Parliament paid £54,000 for the entire project, each church and manse to cost no more than £1500. Telford produced one design for all the churches with very little variation allowed; Portnahaven Church was one of only six churches allowed a gallery. The exterior was undecorated and the interior austere with a hexagonal pulpit placed between the two front windows.
Friends of Portnahaven
Thomas Telford and the Portnahaven Church congregation of 1828 would be shaken to the core on learning how much it costs today to maintain, repair and heat their modest little church. In 2011 repairs to the roof, the skews and bell tower cost a staggering £11,000. Since then an even larger sum has been spent on replacing all the windows, installing new heating and work to the outside steps, porches and front doors. And a great deal of work still needs to be done.
The Friends of Portnahaven Church recognises that this little Islay church means a great deal to people whose families used to live in the area, or who have come to the church on a holiday and fallen in love with it. The Friends was set up with such people in mind, who are interested in helping the congregation maintain this church for many years to come.
We seek your commitment to become a member of the Friends of Portnahaven Church by making a monthly or annual donation, ideally by standing order. For UK taxpayers, Gift Aid will increase your donation by 25%. Enquiries can be addressed to, and forms obtained from liz@alexanderpartnersuk.com.
Thank you for your much needed support.
