52420: Free Church Mission House, Garyvard
The Mission House in Garyvard was built by Murdo Morrison, 8 Garyvard around 1901. He built it up to the height of the walls and then sold it to the village for £8. Murdo used the proceeds to build his own house. The Mission House still stands today, although now used as a barn. It was a single gable black house and had a cement floor.
The pulpit in the Mission House was at the opposite end to its current position. When it opened, the seating was a series of planks balanced on stones on an earthern floor. In the 1940s, the walls were v-lined and seats with backs were crafted. In the early 1950s, it was extended in length by 10 feet to its current size and the door was moved from where the middle window in the side is today to the end. The most recent refurbishment was in 1980 when it was re-roofed, new pews were installed and wallboard fitted to the internal walls.
Before the Mission House was built, services were held on a sheltered spot on the hillside just above the shore in an area known as Gob Chabharstaigh. In those days when the main means of transportation was by sea, Caverstay was very central; directly across from Keose and also convenient for people to come up or down Loch Erisort.
Details
- Record Type:
- Historical or Archaeological Site
- Type Of Site:
- Mission House
- Record Maintained by:
- CEP
Related Media
Mission House and 7 Garyvard