Congregation gathers for end-of-era services at Manish Church

The final service at Manish Church in the Bays of Harris was held on Sunday, August 30. A full congregation attended, many seated in family pews that had once been occupied by their ancestors.

A series of events over the weekend marked the closure, including a service of reflection on Friday, at which Rev Murdo Smith and historian Hamish

Taylor shared ‘heart histories’.

The sacrament was shared for the last time at a communion service on Sunday morning, followed by the final service, led by Rev Ben Johnstone, on the Sunday night.

The building was advertised for sale by the Church of Scotland earlier this year. It was listed on their website for offers over £50,000 and described as: “charming B-listed detached church dating back to 1853, set within tranquil surroundings.”

Manish Church through the years, by Hamish Taylor

Manish church was dedicated in 1853 as the first Free Church in Harris. However, in 1900 a very significant majority of the Free Church nationally (including Manish) united with the United Presbyterian Church to become the United Free Church. In 1929, the Established Church of Scotland discontinued its links with State and a national majority of the United Free Church (including Manish) joined with the newly "Disestablished Church" to become the Church of Scotland we know now. Because of the disestablishment, the Established Church in Scarista automatically became Church of Scotland and in 1931 the Manish congregation was united to the Scarista congregation to become the Manish-Scarista congregation.

My own "heart-history" shared on the Friday evening was centred on my memories of

attending Manish church from childhood. A lot of what I heard and saw then but didn't really understand has remained in my memory and only really became meaningful many years later.

The Friday evening event was very special. The building has now ceased to be a Church

formally, but irrespective of what its new role might be, it will always locally remain “Eaglais Mhanais” while community memory lasts and its history survives.