St. Munda's Church

St Munda’s Church

The earlier ancient church on Eilean Munde was used for worship until 1653. It had a long history, and is understood to have been founded by St Munda, around a thousand years earlier.  The earliest Christian missionary to the area is said to be St Kenneth who visited the area around 550 AD.

There was a Christian presence and clergy in the area at the time of the Reformation.  

In the next centuries the area was served by the ministers of Lismore and by itinerant missionaries. With slate quarries opening in the 1690s there was an increasing need for Christian worship and pastoral care in the area.

Although Glencoe missed out in the programme of building ‘parliamentary churches’ in the 1820s soon after that there was energy for a church building and in time a programme of gathering funds led to a mission church building opening in 1845. It shared a ‘missionary’ with other outlying districts. It was sited above the present village of Ballachulish.

The wave of religious awakening that touched much of Scotland in 1859 was to reach the area of Glencoe in the next years. Hymns began to be sung by shepherds and in the farm kitchens there were small gatherings for prayer and Bible study.

The church was gradually added to, including a bell tower and gallery, which was in place by 1881. In 1890 it was recognized as a opened a parish in its own right. Rev Peter MacGregor was the first minister and arrived in 1891. Services were held in Gaelic and in English. His parish extended to Glen Etive, as well as serving the communities of Glenachulish, the village of Ballachulish, and Glencoe. Rev MacGregor stayed for around 5 years. There were then various ministries in the next few years, Dugald Macfarlane, Neil Ross, Donald MacLeod.

During the First World War the Rev Neil Leitch who had been minister of the parish from 1914 had enlisted in the combatant forces of the Crown and was granted leave of absence from his parish. He sadly was killed in action in France on 20 May 1916, aged 28. The congregation was then in mourning. They were glad that a minister was found to take over the charge and later that year Rev Alexander Boyd was inducted.

A hall was added in 1935. Over the years the congregation thrived under various ministries. It was linked to Duror in 1960.

1986 was the year of a ‘Mission 86’ within the Presbytery of Lochaber as part of the Church of Scotland programme of summer missions (which took place at different times of the year). St Munda’s was involved in the training sessions for the children’s mission. The present minister of South Lochaber Parish recalls being part of the team of volunteers for that mission week. It was based in Corpach but there were meetings in various locations.

The decision was made that St Munda’s church building cease to be used for worship in 2021 and the congregation were forced to find alternative places to meet.

In 2023 St Munda’s became part of the new parish of South Lochaber.

A list of the Ministers of St. Munda's Church after linking with Duror Church

1960 St. Munda's Church is linked with Duror Church and share the same minister.

1960       Hector MacLean

1979       Archibald Russell

1991       Robert Malloch

1998       Anne Murray Jones

2002       Alison Helen Burnside

2011       Moira Herkes (Locum)

2013       Ann Winning  (Locum)

2016       Alexander  Chapman Stoddart

2023 The Church unites with Duror Church and Nether Lochaber Church to become South Lochaber Church.

2023 Malcolm Kinnear