Monument record MHG14916 - Former Secession Chapel, Chapel Street, Evanton

Early 19th century, style of James Smith, 2-storey, 5-bay. Almost square on plan, rubble with tooled ashlar dressings.
Advanced centre bay with centre hoodmoulded Minister's entrance approached by flight steps; centre bay rises as
slender rectangular margined tower with 2 shaped stages and ashlar clock face, terminating in moulded corniced platform supporting pilastered bellcote with ogee cap and worn weathervane. Pair doors in outer bays with roundheaded windows above; similar roundheaded windows in inner centre bays, formerly rising fullheight from ground floor, later divided horizontally forming flat-headed windows in bays 2 and 4 of ground floor. Later corniced tall wallhead stacks, rear windows and door; piended slate roof.

Evanton dates from circa 1800, laid out by Mr Fraser of Balconie (Evanton) to replace former settlement of Drummond. Church terminates the main street of planned village. Strong tradition of church secession in Easter Ross; in Kiltearn Parish from 1770 till Disruption of 1843. Building subsequently used as Free Church School, appearing as such on 1st edition OS (1870). Much altered building to west not listed. <1>

Information received via Community Timeline course, run by ARCH. Description in Evanton Oral History Project No. 3 by Adrian Clark: 'Built by United Secession Church in 1824. Capable of holding 400, 170 attended regularly in 1839. The congregation faded away. Miss Cath Munro of Balconie set up a school for girls/young ladies. The Schoolmaster lived above. Kiltearn school used the premises for some years at end of century during re-building. Bought by Free Church as a meeting-place; also used by other groups eg Good Templars, Girl's Club. … The Council Library was here for a while until it moved to Camden Street. It became derelict and the Ross & Cromarty Heritage Society had plans early 1980s to convert to a museum. They bought it from the Free Church and raised £20,000, but meanwhile the contract price had gone up considerably. The District Council took it on, converted it as 2 houses and put up the Clock on the Tower.' This is also available on-line at www.spanglefish.com/evantonoralhistoryproject/. <2>

Photograph received from participant in Community Timelines course, run by ARCH. <3>

The church was built in 1824, is box shaped with a piended roof, and a tower in the middle of the front elevation. It was subsequently used as a Free Church School and has now been converted to housing. No graveyard. Visited during the Highland Kirkyards project, run by Highland Buildings Preservation Trust. <4><5>