Kilarrow Church is a Church of Scotland parish church, overlooking and serving Bowmore on the island of Islay. The "Round Church", as it is often known, was built in 1767. It has a highly unusual circular design, copied by some churches built in the 1960s.
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Kilarrow Parish Church is, along with the town's Distillery the most notable sight in Bowmore. Reputedly the church is round so that there were no corners for the devil to hide in. The whole village is typical of an 18C "improvement" planned village and, while picturesque- even on a cloudy day - it also should be remembered that these "improvements" were an aspect of the clearances and the systematic de-gaelecisation of the highlands and islands following Culloden. Bowmore ( Big Bend) replaced the old settlement of Cill an Rubha or Kilarrow (Monastery on the Headland) now only remembered in the name of the church (completed in 1770). The interior of the church contains a memorial to Donald Caskie also known as the Tartan PImpernel who assisted in the escape of around 2000 Allied personnel into...
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I suspect the real name of this church is the Kilarrow Parish Church since that's what it said on the sign at the door. It was looking at this church that I was told a story about why it is round. It is so the devil has no...
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Several years ago I spent a wonderful holiday on Islay (pronounced "I - luh" by its residents). And the Round Church is fascinating. I asked someone why it was built round and was told "Because the devil lurks...
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