Presbytery of Lewis

The Presbytery of Lewis is one of the twelve principal presbyteries of the Church of Scotland (analogous to a diocese in Episcopal denominations).

Despite many efforts in the first two centuries after the formation of the Church of Scotland, it was not until the 18th century that efficient church government began in Lewis. Under King James IV, a company of persons termed 'undertakers' were sent to Lewis to found a church court in 1598. This proved unsuccessful, with many dying in the process. It was tried again in 1601, which was also unsuccessful.[1] In 1610, The minister of Gairloch, Farquhar McRae, was sent to Lewis since, it was claimed, 'its inhabitants were strangers to the Gospel'.

In 1724 the General Assembly severed the entire district of the Outer Islands (from Lewis in the North to Barra in the South) from the Presbytery of Skye.[2] The presbytery of Lewis was created in 1742 by the division of the Presbytery of Long Island [also called Innis Fada] (which covered the whole of the Outer Hebrides) into the Presbyteries of Lewis and Uist.[2]

Prior to 1724 the Outer Hebrides were part of the Presbytery of Skye. It was formerly part of the Synod of Glenelg.[2] This later became the Synod of Ross, Sutherland and Caithness (until its dissolution on 1 January 1993).[1][3]

It was invited to join the new Presbytery of the Highlands and Islands in 2024 but deferred its decision to join.[4]

Parishes

Much of the information below is taken from the Church of Scotland Yearbook 2025–2026.[5]

Parish(es) Population Former parishes Buildings Founded Minister(s) Membership
Barvas 1,988 Barvas Medieval Vacant 72
Carloway 946 Carloway, Shawbost Carloway (Callanish) Duncan M. MacAskill (2019–) 45
Cross Ness[6] 1,256 Cross Vacant 56
Kinloch 918 Park Laxay Iain M. Campbell (2008–) 31
Knock 2,258 Knock (Garrabost) 1829TC Guardianship

Donald W. MacDonald [OLM] (2025–)

24
Lochs-Crossbost 892 Lochs-Crossbost (Liurbost) Medieval Guardianship 6
Lochs-In-Bernera l/w Uig 252 Lochs-in-Bernera (Breacleit) Hugh Maurice Stewart (2008–) 28
397 Uig (Miavaig) Medieval 17
Stornoway: High[7] 10,751 Stornoway High (orig. Free Church) 1845 (1909) Gordon Macleod (2019–) 92
Stornoway: Martin's Memorial[8] Martin's Memorial, Stornoway

(orig. Free English Church)

1875 (1878) Tommy MacNeil (2006–)Brian Macleod [Assistant] (2025–) 345
Stornoway: St Columba's Gress St Columba's, Stornoway 1794 William Heenan (2012–) 118

Congregational history

  • Barvas Parish Church (1933–)
    • Barvas Parish Church (1857–1933), formerly Barvas and Ness Parish Church (C16th-1857), formerly St Mary's Parish Church, Barvas (ancient-C16th)
    • Barvas United Free Church (1900–33), formerly Barvas Free Church (1845–1900)
  • Carloway Parish Church (1929–), formerly Carloway United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Carloway and Callernish Free Church (1844–1900)
  • Cross Ness Parish Church (1976–), formerly Cross Parish Church (1935–76)
    • Cross Parish Church (1857–1935), formerly Ness Parliamentary Chapel (1828–57), formerly St Peter's Parish Church, Ness (ancient-C16th)
    • Ness Parish Church (1929–35), formerly Cross United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Cross Free Church (1843–1900)
  • Kinloch Parish Church (1995–)
    • Kinloch Parish Church (1929–95), formerly Kinloch United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Kinloch Free Church (1885–1900)
    • Park Parish Church (1965–95), formerly Park Church Extension Charge (1963–65)
  • Knock Parish Church (1929–)
    • Knock Parish Church (1857–1929), formerly Ey Parliamentary Chapel (1828–57), formerly St Columba's Parish Church, Ey (ancient-C16th)
    • Knock United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Knock Free Church (1843–1900)
  • Lochs Crossbost Parish Church (1929–), formerly Lochs United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Lochs Free Church (1843–1900)
  • Lochs in Bernera Parish Church (1929–), formerly Lochs Parish Church (1722–1929), formerly St Columba's Parish Church, Lochs (ancient-C16th)
  • Stornoway High Parish Church (1929–), formerly Stornoway High United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Stornoway Free Church (1844–1900)
  • Stornoway Martin's Memorial Parish Church (1929–), formerly Stornoway English United Free Church (1913–29)
    • Stornoway English United Free Church (1900–13), formerly Stornoway English Free Church (1876–1900)
    • Stornoway James Street United Free Church (1900–13), formerly Stornoway United Presbyterian Church (1858–1900)
  • Stornoway St Columba's Parish Church (1929–), formerly Stornoway Parish Church (−1929), formerly Stornoway, Gress and Ey Parish Church (1722–1857), formerly Stornoway, Gress, Ey, Lochs and Uig Parish Church (C16th-1722)
    • St Adamnan's Parish Church, Stornoway (ancient-C16th)
    • St Olaf's Parish Church, Gress (ancient-C16th)
  • Uig Parish Church (1979–)
    • Uig Baile-na-cille Parish Church (1929–79), formerly Uig Parish Church (1722–1929), formerly St Coman's Parish Church, Uig (ancient-C16th)
    • Uig Uigen Parish Church (1929–79), formerly Uig United Free Church (1900–29), formerly Uig Free Church (1843–1900)

Ministers

Barvas:

  1. fl. 1566: Patrick Martin
  2. fl. 1642: Murdoch McHuiston
  3. 1643-1670s: Donald Morrison
  4. 1670s–1699: Donald Morrison II
  5. 1692–1723: Alan Morrison
  6. 1726–1767: Murdoch Morrison
  7. 1767–1789: Alexander MacKay
  8. 1790–1812: Donald MacDonald
  9. 1813–56: William MacRae
  10. 1856–58: John Reid
  11. 1857–87 (Barvas Free): Allan MacArthur
  12. 1858–92 (Parish): James Strachan
  13. 1859–76 (Back Free): Donald MacMaster
  14. 1877–80 (Back Free): John MacLean
  15. 1881 (Back Free, Free Continuing): Hector Cameron
  16. 1888–1902 (Barvas Free/UF): Neil Morrison
  17. 1893–1911 (Parish): Lachlan MacKinnon
  18. 1903–23 (UF): Donald Morrison
  19. 1911–24 (Parish): Norman Laing
  20. 1925–32 (UF): Murdo Mackay
  21. 1935–47: Donald Macdonald
  22. 1949–52: James Mackay
  23. 1953–62: John Macnaughton
  24. 1966–73: Alexander Morrison
  25. 1973–81: Aonghas Macdonald
  26. 1981–90: Hector Morrison
  27. 1993: Ivor Macdonald

Cross or Ness:

  1. 1829–33: Finlay Cook
  2. 1833–39: John MacRae
  3. 1840–43: John Finlayson (Parish/Free)
  4. 1844–76: Donald MacRae (Free)
  5. 1853–57: James Gunn (Parish)
  6. 1857–59: Roderick Fraser (Parish)
  7. 1859–60: James Bain (Parish)
  8. 1861–78: Donald MacKay (Parish)
  9. 1879–91: Duncan MacBeath (Free)
  10. 1878–87, 88–89: Godfrey MacRae (Parish)
  11. 1893–1938: Donald M. MacDonald (Free/UF/Parish)
  12. 1900–05: John MacKay (Parish)
  13. 1905–34: John MacPhail (Parish)
  14. 1941–64: Malcolm Smith
  15. 1965–73: Duncan MacKinnon
  16. 1973–80: John Ferguson
  17. 1982–91: Alexander Macdonald
  18. 1993–98: Kenneth MacPherson

Knock or Ey:

  1. 1829–31: Robert Finlayson
  2. 1831–44: Duncan Matheson (Parish/Free)
  3. 1845–66: Donald Murray (Free)
  4. 1849–60: Alexander Bethune (Parish)
  5. 1861–64: James MacDonald (Parish)
  6. 1864–70: Ewen Campbell (Parish)
  7. 1869–85: Malcolm MacRitchie (Free)
  8. 1870–73: Colin MacDonald (Parish)
  9. 1874: Alexander Carmichael (Parish)
  10. 1875–77: John Gillies (Parish)
  11. 1878–91: Donald MacKay (Parish)
  12. 1886–1928: George MacLeod (Free/UF)
  13. 1892–95: Archibald McCallum (Parish)
  14. 1895–1926: Angus MacLeod (Parish)
  15. 1930–35: Lachlan Macleod
  16. 1937–63: Harry MacKinnon
  17. 1964–82: William MacDonald
  18. 1984: James MacDonald

Lochs:

  1. 1724–59: Colin Mackenzie
  2. 1760–67: Alexander Mackay
  3. 1768–84: James Wilson
  4. 1784–92: John Fraser
  5. 1793–1830: Alexander Simpson
  6. 1831–56: Robert Finlayson (Parish/Free)
  7. 1844–69: Roderick Reid (Parish)
  8. 1857–64: John MacRae (Free)
  9. 1858–63: John McLean (Carloway Free)
  10. 1865–75 (Free), 1895 (Shawbost Free, Free Continuing): George Campbell
  11. 1870–89: Ewen Campbell (Parish)
  12. 1874: Roderick Ross (Carloway Free)
  13. 1876–1902: Roderick MacRae (Carloway Free/UF)
  14. 1876–81: Hector Cameron (Free)
  15. 1885–1901: John MacDougall (Free/UF)
  16. 1885–96: John MacDonald (Kinloch Free)
  17. 1886–88 (Park Free), 1902–13 (Lochs UF), 1913–23 (Carloway UF): Neil Morrison
  18. 1889: Hector Kennedy (Park Free, Free Continuing)
  19. 1890–1920: Donald MacCallum (Parish)
  20. 1896–1923: John MacKay (Kinloch Free/UF)
  21. 1903–13: Duncan MacLeod (Carloway UF)
  22. 1914–27: Donald MacArthur (Lochs UF)
  23. 1921–43: Duncan Matheson (Parish/Bernera)
  24. 1924–27: John MacKay II (Kinloch UF)
  25. 1925–28: Kenneth Maclean (Carloway UF)
  26. 1928–33: Donald Macleod (Lochs UF/Crossbost)
  27. 1931–64: Murdo Maclennan (Carloway)
  28. 1933–36: Duncan Mackenzie (Crossbost)
  29. 1933–44: Murdo MacSween (Kinloch)
  30. 1936–50: Murdo MacKay (Crossbost)
  31. 1943–46: Norman Morrison (Bernera)
  32. 1944–57 (Kinloch), 1965–70 (Carloway): Angus MacKillop
  33. 1950–82: Neil MacDonald (Crossbost)
  34. 1951–66: William M. MacDonald (Bernera)
  35. 1959–67: Roderick Murray (Kinloch)
  36. 1963–67: William Mackenzie (Park)
  37. 1967–74: Duncan MacAskill (Bernera)
  38. 1968–77: David MacInnes (Kinloch)
  39. 1968–91: Donald Macaulay (Park)
  40. 1971–79: John MacArthur (Carloway)
  41. 1975–79: Roderick Stewart (Bernera)
  42. 1977–86: Norman MacSween (Kinloch)
  43. 1983–85: Donald Maclean (Carloway)
  44. 1988–94: Bruce Gardner (Carloway)
  45. 1989: Kenneth MacLeod (Bernera)
  46. 1989: Donald MacLennan (Kinloch)
  47. 1993: Andrew Coghill (Crossbost)
  48. 1997: Murdo Campbell (Carloway)

Stornoway:

  1. 1601: Robert Durie
  2. 1640s: Farquhar Clerk
  3. c.1648–80: Donald Morrison
  4. c.1680–1720: Kenneth Morrison
  5. 1724–46: Daniel Morrison
  6. 1747–72: John Clark
  7. 1773–78: John Downie
  8. 1789–1815: Colin Mackenzie
  9. 1815–24: Simon Fraser
  10. 1825–44: John Cameron
  11. 1844–46: John Lees
  12. 1847–77 (Parish): John Macrae
  13. 1849–54 (Free): Duncan MacGregor
  14. 1855–68 (Free): Peter MacLean
  15. 1861–63 (UP): George Graham
  16. 1866–70 (UP): James Holmes
  17. 1872–99 (Free): James Greenfield
  18. 1872–76 (UP): Charles McEwing
  19. 1876–97 (English Free): Donald Martin
  20. 1878–81 (Parish): Archibald MacDonald
  21. 1879–1908 (UP/James St): James Hunter
  22. 1881–94 (Parish): Alexander Stuart
  23. 1894–97 (Parish): Hector MacKinnon
  24. 1895–1902 (Free/High UF): Peter MacDonald
  25. 1897–1901 (English Free/UF): John S. MacDonald
  26. 1897–1903 (Parish): Donald MacKinnon
  27. 1902–06 (English UF): Alexander Murray
  28. 1903–11 (High UF): Walter Calder
  29. 1904–13 (Parish): John McCallum
  30. 1907–13 (English UF): Alexander McIver
  31. 1908–13 (James St): John Telfer
  32. 1911–49 (High UF/High): Roderick Morrison
  33. 1913–20 (English UF): George Mills
  34. 1913–19 (Parish): John Menzies
  35. 1921–24 (English UF): Alexander White
  36. 1921–22 (Parish): Murdo Macleod
  37. 1922–24 (Parish): Alexander Ross
  38. 1924–29 (Parish): John Mackenzie
  39. 1924–27 (English UF): Donald MacInnes
  40. 1928–31 (English UF/Martin's): Robert Inglis
  41. 1930–35 (St Columba's): Angus MacLeod
  42. 1932–34 (Martin's): Thomas Donn
  43. 1935–45 (St Columba's): Lachlan Macleod
  44. 1936–45 (Martin's): Ian Carmichael
  45. 1946–67 (St Columba's): Roderick MacDonald
  46. 1946–49 (Martin's): John Skinner
  47. 1950–60 (Martin's): John de Lingen
  48. 1950–80 (High): Angus MacCuish
  49. 1961–64 (Martin's): Donald Gillies
  50. 1965–75 (Martin's): Colin MacLean
  51. 1969–85 (St Columba's): Kenneth MacLeod
  52. 1976 (Martin's): Thomas Sinclair
  53. 1981–94 (High): Roderick Morrison
  54. 1986–98 (St Columba's): David Wright
  55. 1998 (High): William Black

Uig:

  1. fl. 1572: Ronald Anguson
  2. 1726–41: John MacLeod
  3. 1742–77: Norman Morrison
  4. 1774–1823: Hugh Munro
  5. 1824–43 (Parish/Free): Alexander MacLeod
  6. 1845–56 (Parish): David Watson
  7. 1846–85 (Free): John Campbell
  8. 1857–58 (Parish): James Gunn
  9. 1859–75 (Parish): Roderick Fraser
  10. 1876–89 (Parish): Angus MacIver
  11. 1879–87 (Free): Duncan Morrison
  12. 1889–97 (Free): Nicol Campbell
  13. 1890–1905 (Parish): John McPhail
  14. 1899–1910 (Free/UF): Donald MacArthur
  15. 1906–19 (Parish): Allan Mackenzie
  16. 1912–20 (UF): James MacNiven
  17. 1922–27 (Parish): Murdo MacLeod
  18. 1923–62 (UF/Uigen): Norman MacLeod
  19. 1928–30 (Parish): Roderick McInnes
  20. 1931–50 (Baile-na-cille): Norman Morrison
  21. 1951–79 (Baile-na-cille): Angus MacFarlane
  22. 1964 (Uigen/Parish): William MacLeod

Register of current and former buildings

Church Founded Closed
St Columba's, Eye or Uidh Medieval C18th
St Lennan's, Stornoway 1630 1794
St Olaf's/Aula's, Gress Medieval C19th
Cross Old Church 1829TC
Lionel Mission Hall, Ness c. 2010[9]
Callanish Mission Hall c. 2017[10]
Lemreway Church 2025[11]

References

  1. ^ a b "Presbytery of Lewis – Tasglann nan Eilean Siar". ica-atom.tasglann.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  2. ^ a b c "Records for Lewis presbytery | Scotland's People". www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  3. ^ "Synod of Sutherland & Caithness – Tasglann nan Eilean Siar". ica-atom.tasglann.org.uk. Retrieved 2025-10-15.
  4. ^ Sinclair, Robert (2023-08-01). "Church of Scotland meditates future". We love Stornoway. Retrieved 2024-11-29.
  5. ^ The Church of Scotland Yearbook 2025–2026. Edinburgh: Saint Andrew Press. 2025. pp. 231–233, 294. ISBN 9781800830615.
  6. ^ "Cross Ness Church of Scotland". Cross Ness Church of Scotland. May 7, 2023.
  7. ^ "Stornoway High Church of Scotland". Stornoway High Church. March 31, 2025.
  8. ^ "Martins Memorial | stornoway | 11 Francis Street, Stornoway, UK". Martins Memorial.
  9. ^ Scotland, The Church of (2020-10-27). "Lionel Mission Hall, Lionel, Isle of Lewis". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2021-01-21.
  10. ^ "Former Mission Hall, Isle of Lewis | Speciality building for sale". Realla. Retrieved 2021-01-31.
  11. ^ Scotland, The Church of (2024-12-03). "Lemreway Church and Grounds, Lemreway, South Lochs, Isle of Lewis HS2 9RD". The Church of Scotland. Retrieved 2025-07-21.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.