Station 6 - Prayer House, Burial Aisle & Medieval Church 

The name Kilbride is a relic from the site’s medieval and Gaelic past. The name comes from the Gaelic ‘Cille Bhrìghde’ meaning ‘Church of St Brigid, the Virgin of Lorn'. Perhaps coming from the 6th century missionary saint who is believed to have founded an early church there. 

 

The earliest written account about Kilbride dates to the 13th century when Alexander II, King of Scotland, granted the chapel there to the see of Argyll in 1246. Other written accounts indicate that Kilbride’s chapel remained in use until the 16th century. However following the Protestant reformation, the Catholic chapel was abandoned and allowed to fall into a state of disrepair. In 1706 the remains of the medieval building were used to construct a Protestant Kirk at Kilbride to serve the new Protestant faith which had spread throughout Scotland by this time. At the base of the south facing wall there is a deliberate arch which has been constructed in the stonework near ground level. It is thought that this may have been an attempt to avoid disturbing the grave of an important person buried here before the construction of the 1706 kirk. With the aid of funding it is hoped that the purpose of this mysterious arch can be explored and understood further. 

 

Following the construction of the Kirk, the church at Kilbride joined with the neighbouring parish of Kilmore to form a new parish of Kilmore & Kilbride. This building was used well into the late 19th century but was eventually abandoned in favour of the new church constructed at Kilmore and the Kilbride Kirk was partially demolished.

 

 

When you are ready to move onto Station 7, please proceed to your left and stop at the West entrance to the Kirk.

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To move on to the next station click here

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This voice clip was read by Bob Irving.