[/et_pb_divider][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Title” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_line_height=”1.1em” background_color=”rgba(229,226,222,0.28)” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” animation_style=”slide” text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Sunny St Fillan’s by the Loch
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”||6px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”off” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ padding_mobile=”on” column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”20px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/SCTLogo-smallest.jpg” title_text=”SCTLogo smallest” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”center” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” admin_label=”author profile picture 142×142 png” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” admin_label=”Author” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|” use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Lorna McInnes
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” admin_label=”Date” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Serif||on||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”16″ text_line_height=”1.4em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”10px||60px|” use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]First published Spring 2018
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.16″ text_font=”PT Serif||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”24″ text_line_height=”1.5em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”0px||0px|” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” use_border_color=”off” global_colors_info=”{}”]This blog is reproduced in part from a piece that geophysicist Lorna McInnes kindly wrote for us back in the Spring of 2018 about the delight of chancing upon an open church while on a day out in Perthshire.
Scotland has a lot of lochs. I’m not sure what the most famous one would be, perhaps Loch Lomond, or Loch Ness? But there are lots of others worth a peep, and one of those is Loch Earn in Perthshire.
As is the case with many of Scotland’s lochs, Loch Earn is long and narrow, and jolly nice for bobbing about on in a kayak, or just gazing at from the shore.
At the eastern end of Loch Earn lies the pretty village of St Fillans. That’s it over there, on the other side from where I was standing taking this photo.
One day not so long ago, my delightful assistant and I trotted off to St Fillans for a lochside stroll, followed by luncheon in the wonderfully relaxing Four Seasons Hotel.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture-1.jpg” title_text=”Picture 1″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/St-Fillans.jpg” title_text=”St Fillans” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”]It was getting on for 2.30pm by the time we rolled up for lunch (I’m relieved to report that we had stopped for tea and scones en route) and they’d stopped serving their full menu in the restaurant. They were pleased, however, to offer us sandwiches in the bar area instead, which suited us very well, especially as we had it all to ourselves.
We sat there, very contentedly, enjoying the restful calm of the hotel bar and delighting in the splendid view from our window seats
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”]While driving through the village to the hotel, we had noticed an attractive looking church. I wasn’t really expecting it to be open, but fancied a closer look all the same.
I don’t seem to have a record of the name of this church, I did a quick Google search but couldn’t find it.
To make up for this lack of information, I’ll relate an interesting bit of recent history about the village of St Fillans.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Top-Picture.jpg” title_text=”Top Picture” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”4.16″ background_color=”#f7f7f4″ custom_padding=”0px|||” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” transparent_background=”off” padding_mobile=”on” make_fullwidth=”off” use_custom_width=”off” width_unit=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Text” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”-51px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]In November 2005, a builder began creating a housing development at the east end of the village. His plans meant disturbing a big lump of rock that, according to legend, was home to fairies. The locals did not want him upsetting their fairy community, and persuaded the builder to change his plans in order to leave the rock alone. The rock now forms the centrepiece of a little park in the middle of the building development, and the fairies are – so I’m told – happily still in situ.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture-3.jpg” title_text=”Picture 3″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”]As it happens, the church was, to my great delight, open for viewing. It was quite plain inside, but very restful.
There were a number of bibles on the pews and I flicked open the cover of one, perhaps because it was unusually imprinted with the name of a well-known Scottish regiment. Inside the front cover there was a letter, dated 11 February 1946, to a Major Stewart.
The first couple of paragraphs read:
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Text” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”22px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”-51px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”]“I hope you will not mind my taking the liberty of sending you the 6th BW Bible for custody. For security reasons I was advised to leave it at home when we sailed for North Africa! Many a time its larger print would have been useful for lesson-reading in the odd and sometimes dark places in which we worshipped.”
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_2,1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture-5.jpg” title_text=”Picture 5″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_2″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Picture-6.jpg” title_text=”Picture 6″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text admin_label=”Blog Text” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_text_color=”#363636″ text_font_size=”20px” text_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”-51px|||||” custom_padding=”||0px|||” global_colors_info=”{}”]After an enjoyable time soaking up the ecclesiastical atmosphere, we stepped out into the sunshine again and the view of knobbly hills across the loch from the church steps. If you happen to be passing through this bit of the country (and it is quite a popular tourist area being near The Trossachs National Park) I can thoroughly recommend a detour through St Fillans.
[/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” custom_padding=”5px|||||” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_image src=”https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/End-Picture.jpg” title_text=”End Picture” _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][/et_pb_image][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.18.0″ _module_preset=”default” text_font=”PT Serif||||||||” text_font_size=”20px” global_colors_info=”{}”]Our thanks to Lorna McInnes for allowing us to reproduce this lovely piece and and the images that accompany it.
The church she chanced upon was the delightful Dundurn Parish Church. You can find out more about it and get its address, so you can drop by yourself sometime, on our website here.
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