No. 21 - Presbyterian Church Glengarry

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The Presbyterian Church at Glengarry was established in 1887 and the church was sold in 2014, after which it was repurposed as an art gallery.  Although it is a small rural church with the destruction of the Presbyterian church at Sidmouth (Auld Kirk) by fire on September 6, 1900, for a time the Glengarry chapel became a centre of worship in the West Tamar district. I will do further research on this church and in time this blog article will be updated. The report from the Mercury on the church's 50th anniversary in 1937 outlines the activity of early Presbyterianism in the district, with services being held in barns for 10 years before the church was built in 1887.

Mercury Monday 6 September 1937

The 50th anniversary occurred on Saturday of the opening of the Presbyterian Church at Glengarry, in the district of West Tamar. The history of Presbyterianism in the parish dates back almost 100 years. It is thought that the first service was conducted by Mr James Reid, of Richmond Hill, some time prior to 1841. The first minister, the Rev. A. McKenzie, commenced duties in 1842. The Sidmouth church was established about 1845, in which year Mr McKenzie gave place to the Rev. James Garrett, who had the over-sight of the district, including Glengarry, until his death in 1874. Services in connection with the Free Church of Scotland were held in a barn at Glengarry in 1874 and 1875.

Following the establishment of a church at Beaconsfield, Mr Alexander McKenzie donated a site for a church at Winkleigh and Miss Minnie Layton offered to provide a site for a church at Glengarry. Sufficient funds being available the construction of the Glengarry church was commenced, the building being opened for Divine service on September 4, 1887. With the development bf the district additions were made to the building, and with the destruction of the Sidmouth church by fire in 1900 that at Glengarry became one of the principal centres of worship.  Ministers who have had charge of the district of West Tamar have included the Revs. J.H. Mitchell (1891-95); J. Murray (1896); F. Barclay (1896-1902); G. Martin (1905-9); J. A. Lee (1909-10); A. C. Sanderson (1914-20). The present minister is the Rev. R. White.









The interior of the church before it was sold in 2014 (Roberts Real Estate)                               



The interior of the church before it was sold in 2014 (Roberts Real Estate) 
The Mercury Monday 6 September 1937

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