31 July 2021, Starts: 14:00, Ends: 16:00

Launch of the book Kiltearn 2020. The Church in the Parish by Catriona Fraser. Venue: Evanton Village Green. Light refreshments will be available. Signed copies also available for £9.

Further details:

A completely revised book on Kiltearn church will be launched on Saturday 31^st July between 2 and 4pm at Evanton Village Green. Kiltearn 2020. The Church in the Parish by Catriona Fraser, published by Evanton Community Trust, tells the story of the church from our earliest hints to modern times. Signed copies will be available at the launch for £9. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend this outdoor event.

‘I originally published a book on the church in the community 20 years ago’ explained Catriona. ‘Since that time we had an indepth project organised by Evanton Community Trust, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Kiltearn Community Council, Clan Munro Association and Archaeology Scotland.

‘A number of activities including a standing building survey, graveyard recording and new research were organised by Archaeology for Communities in the Highands (ARCH). We discovered far more information than we expected, including information about medieval parsons and vicars and building works. As a result, it was time for an updated version of the history of the church in the parish.’

The parish of Kiltearn was caught up in the 17^th century disruptions, with Kiltearn minister Thomas Hog (1628-1692) a major figure. Forbidden to preach in the church, he held open air services. Captured and imprisoned, he eventually fled to Holland, only coming back with William and Mary, restored to his parish in 1691. His gravestone at the church is one of the earliest in the kirkyard.

Today Kiltearn kirk is a roofless reminder of the time when this area near the shore was the central settlement. Built in 1790, it looks to be a typical post-Reformation T-plan church, but has remnants of a medieval window and buttresses. After the disruptions of 1843, the congregation however left the church to worship in the Free Church. By then the settlement had moved to present day Evanton, and the old church went out of use.

This fascinating story and more are told in the revised book. Information about shops and museums stocking the book will be published on the Evanton Community Trust website ect.scot, as well as mail order details. The full archives from the project can be found at Cornerstone Café in Evanton, while the Evanton Community Trust website http://www.ect.scot/ includes information about the project as well as a searchable online database of people buried in the old kirkyard.