"BIG MACRAE"

Rev. John MacRae, known as MacRath Mòr (Big MacRae) in Gaelic, was the first minister of the Free Church congregation in Knockbain. He was a renowned preacher who became minister of Knockbain Parish Church in 1839. He was one of the leading figures in the Disruption Free Church, which he joined along with the majority of the congregation in 1843.

MINISTERS

Rev. John MacRae (1843-1849)

Rev. Farquhar MacRae (1853-1879)

Rev. James MacLeod (1879-1889)

Rev. Finlay MacRae (1890-1917)

Rev. Walter MacQuarrie (1917-1959)

Rev. Hugh M. Ferrier (1960-1963)

Rev. Roderick MacLeod (1966-1972)

Rev. George Dunnett (1972-1981)

Rev. Farquhar Renwick (1986-present)

History

At the Disruption of 1843 the majority of Knockbain Parish Church followed their minister, Rev. John MacRae, into the newly formed Free Church of Scotland, and it was renamed Knockbain Free Church.

In the late 1880s the General Assembly of the Free Church of Scotland divided the congregation in two, following a dispute over the building of a new church. One section, along with the minister,  Rev. James MacLeod, moved to a new church and manse in Munlochy and was named Knockbain Munlochy Free Church. It joined the United Free Church in the Union of 1900 and subsequently united with the Church of Scotland in 1929.  It is now the local Church of Scotland in Munlochy.

The main part of the congregation was renamed Knockbain West Free Church, and it  built a new church near the old one at Bogallan in 1888. It still belongs to our congregation. West  was dropped from the name in 1908, and it was simply Knockbain Free Church. It continues under that name to this day.

The Bogallan Church of 1888 served the congregation well for over a hunderd years. But by the late 20th century, demographic and lifestyle changes left its somewhat remote rural location less than ideal. It was decided to build a new church in the growing village of North Kessock, which opened in 1994.

 

Gaelic Services

Gaelic services were held in Knockbain Free Church up until the beginning of the Second World War. There is  also a record of a Gaelic service held in the open air in 1891, while the English service was held in the church.The last Gaelic communion service was held in March 1939.

 

Lecture by Professor Donald MacLeod of the Free Church College on the occassion of the centenary of Knockbain Free Church in 1988, to mark 100 years since the Bogallan church was built.  CLICK TO READ.