I had to list whole article as it goes off website in few days time. For more Ross-Shire weekly news try www.rsjournal.co.uk Historic churches go on the market - Ross-Shire Journal 24 March 2005 TWO historic Black Isle churches will go on the market soon, marking the end of an era that spanned the famous Disruption of 1843 and other periods of volatility in Highland church history. The Church of Scotland's General Trustees in Edinburgh this week approved the sale of the churches at Resolis and Urquhart, both B-listed buildings dating back to the 18th century. Urquhart Church in Ferintosh, built in 1795, held its final service on Sunday (March 20). Resolis Church, at the eastern end of the parish, closed the previous Sunday, ending almost 240 years of continuous worship on the site since the original church was built in 1767. The congregation will meantime worship in Findon Hall, as they seek to raise funds to build a new church in the growing village of Culbokie in the longer term. Escalating repair costs and dwindling membership and income prompted the local congregation to take the decision to close the churches, both of which were situated in non-residential areas at opposite ends of the parish. The cost of repairs to the roofs was thought to be around £300,000, a sum which would go a long way towards the cost of a new church in a more central part of the parish. Like most congregations in Scotland, the membership of Resolis and Urquhart has declined steadily during the last 50 years, with nowadays around 90 members and a similar number of adherents on the roll. Parish minister, the Rev Grant Bell, said closure of the churches was sad, but it was also a challenge to build a church for future generations. Said Mr Bell, "A few folk were not in favour of disposing of the churches, but they were remarkably few. The decision was on the cards well before I arrived here because of the financial burden that repairs were putting on the congregation. "The situation is quite complicated when churches are not located in the most suitable places for parishioners. As a Christian body we go forward in faith." Mr Bell said they were now negotiating with the Forestry Commission over land at the eastern end of Culbokie. They were still awaiting final costings for the new building, which will amount to several hundred thousand pounds. Added Mr Bell, "We expect to be able to sell both churches fairly readily. One or two issues have to be clarified with the General Trustees, such as the future of the pulpit at Resolis which we will not require for our new church. "It's quite unusual in that it was constructed to a Geneva design going back to the Reformation. There was a lot of coming and going between Scotland and Geneva in those days. "We're pleased that we were able to have two former parish ministers preaching at the final services in both churches. Rev John Macleod, now retired at Muir of Ord, preached at Resolis, while Rev Alastair MacLennan preached last Sunday at Urquhart." Resolis Church has a colourful history, having been at the centre of a riot when parishioners rebelled against the lairds' choice of minister after the Disruption. The locals were loyal to their own minister, the Rev Donald Sage, who had left to join the postDisruption Free Church. A detachment of military Redcoats was dispatched from the barracks at Fort George to deal with them and one woman was arrested and taken to jail in Cromarty. The following day, after bail was refused, the jail was stormed by locals who released the woman. Although Urquhart Church was designed to hold 1,200 worshippers, it frequently exceeded that number by up to 50 per cent during the 19th century. One of its most famous ministers was the Rev John MacDonald, known as "the apostle of the north", who was one of almost 500 ministers throughout Scotland who joined the Free Church. He once preached to 10,000 people at an open air service at the nearby Ferintosh Burn. Local historian Jim MacKay said many local people would be sad to see the churches closed, even though it was inevitable due to changing circumstances. He said, "Both buildings are of great historical and architectural importance and I do wonder what use they'll now be put to. Repairs were going to involve a substantial amount of money. "The influence of local lairds is still very evident at Resolis Church. The steps out the back were erected to enable the lairds to go into the church using a different entrance from the common flock. "Once inside the building the lairds sat in the balcony where they could see the minister, but the rest of the parishioners were unable to see them." A Kirk spokesman in Edinburgh said, "With the sale now approved by the General Trustees, our Law Department will be moving ahead with the marketing of these buildings. They'll be advertised on the Church website in due course." Hope it helps someone ! Kyle McAllister