Arisaig, Roman Catholic Church Of St Mary

Church of St. Mary (RC), William Burn, 1849 Strikingly austere church with blunt-edged tower over entrance and slender buttresses alternating with soaring lancets down each side of an aisleless nave. Utterly devoid of ornament, the interior was renovated in 1900 with funds from the Marchioness of Bute, who is depicted in H. W. Lonsdale's crucifixion triptych inserted into the chancel's tall window in 1906. Above this, the roundel is by A. W. Pugin, 1849: 11 tracery pieces made by Hardmans. Such is the window's soaring height, that this little known design by Pugin is difficult to appreciate. Today, the interior bears the hand of Canon Iain Gillies, who redesigned it himself, 1965-6. Linked presbytery; former school, 1869, with teacher's accommodation above the schoolroom (replaced by the present school further up the road, 1883).

Taken from "Western Seaboard: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Mary Miers, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk