Diocese of Argyll and The Isles (Episcopal)

Anglican diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church

This article is about the diocese of the Scottish Episcopal Church. For the Catholic diocese, see Roman Catholic Diocese of Argyll and the Isles.

Diocese of Argyll and The Isles

Dioecesis Ergadiensis et Insularum

Sgìre Easbaig Earra-Ghàidheal is nan Eilean

Location
Country| Scotland
Ecclesiastical province| Scotland
Statistics
Congregations| 32
Information
Denomination| Scottish Episcopal Church
Cathedral| St John's Cathedral, Oban and the Cathedral of The Isles
Current leadership
Bishop| David Railton
Map

Map showing Argyll & The Isles Diocese within Scotland
Website
argyll.anglican.org

The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is in the west of Scotland, and is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is perhaps the largest of the dioceses, but has the smallest number of church members. As a united diocese, Argyll and The Isles has two cathedrals: St John's in Oban and the Cathedral of The Isles in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae.

The Diocese of the Isles, by itself, was founded by Patrick in 900, and the Diocese of Argyll was founded by Bishop Harald in 1193. During the Scottish Reformation, most of the heritage and jurisdiction of the church was given to the Church of Scotland. However, the small Scottish Episcopal Church have maintained the line of bishops of both dioceses through to the present day. In the seventeenth century, the Diocese of the Isles was united with the dioceses of Caithness and Orkney, and, in 1819, was separated from them to unite with the Diocese of Argyll. In 1878, the Roman Catholic Church created a Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. The diocese is responsible for the only two Episcopalian retreat houses in Scotland (Bishop's House Iona and the College of the Holy Spirit at the Cathedral of The Isles). Keith Riglin, Vice Dean[1] of King's College London, was elected by an Electoral Synod on 30 January 2021;[2] his consecration was on 1 May 2021.[3] Bishop Keith died on 24 September 2023 leaving the diocesan seat vacant until the election and installation of David Railton in 2024.[4]

The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is twinned with the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar (Anglican Church of Tanzania) and the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware (Episcopal Church in the United States of America).

## Area and population

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The diocese covers the historic counties of Argyllshire (population 60,000) and Buteshire (population 12,500), the Hebridean parts of Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty (population 38,000), and the Lochaber area of Inverness-shire (population 16,500). This total population of approximately 127,000 makes it the smallest British Anglican diocese by population apart from the Diocese of Sodor and Man. It gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 18,100 inhabitants and one church to every 3,850 inhabitants.

## Deans of the diocese

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Deans of Argyll and The Isles

* James Paterson
* Samuel Hood
* Robert MacGeorge
* Alexander Chinnery-Haldane
* Herbert Noyes
* Reginald Mapleton
* Arthur Maclean
* Charles Pressley Smith
* Alexander MacInnes
* Charles Lloyd
* James Bevin
* Duncan MacInnes
* George Douglas
* George Henderson
* Charles Copland
* Ian Wilson
* Ian MacLeay
* Roy Flatt
* Norman MacCallum
* Andrew Swift
* Margi Campbell

## Secessions

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On 24 November 2017 the congregation of Christ Church, Harris, a Scottish Episcopal church in the Western Isles, announced that they could no longer remain under the oversight of their local bishop, Kevin Pearson, then-Bishop of Argyll and The Isles, owing to his support of the SEC's approval of same-sex marriage. They would instead be receiving the episcopal ministry of Andy Lines, the Missionary Bishop to Europe of the Anglican Church in North America.[5][6] Daniel Davies, the priest-in-charge of Christ Church, resigned his SEC position on 22 January 2018.[7]

## Churches

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The diocese currently has 8 stipendiary clergy (including the Bishop who is also the Provost of Cumbrae Cathedral) and 32 active churches.

Benefice  | Churches  | Link  | Founded (building)  | Stipendiary clergy

|
|
|
|

Stornoway[8] | St Peter, Stornoway  | [1] | C18th (1838)  | P. Moger
Eoropaidh[9] | St Moluag, Eoropaidh | 1912 (Medieval)
No benefice | St Brendan the Navigator, North Uist  |  |  | \-
Holy Cross, North Uist  |  |  | \-
Portree[10] | St Columba, Portree  |  | 1884  | R. Bungard
St Michael & All Angels, Raasay  |  |
St Mary, Kilmore, Sleat  |  |
Kinlochmoidart[11] | St Finan, Kinlochmoidart  |  | 1858  | 0
Strontian[12] | St Mary, Strontian  |  | 1875
Fort William | St Andrew, Fort William  |  | 1817 (1880)  | A. Guinness
West Highland Region[13] | St Columba, Gruline  | [2] | 1873  | A. Fairclough
St John, Ballachulish  |  | C18th (1842)
St Adamnan, Duror  |  | 1846
St Mary, Glencoe  |  | C18th (1880)
St Moluag, Kentallen  |  | 1868
St Paul, Kinlochleven  |  | 1908 (1954)
St Bride, Onich |  | 1874
Holy Cross, Portnacroish  |  | 1809
Lochbuie[14] | St Kilda, Lochbuie (Mull)  |  | 1876  | \-
Iona[15] | St Columba's Chapel, Bishop's House, Iona  |  | 1894  | \-
Argyll Cathedra[16][17] | Cathedral of St John the Divine, Oban | [3] | 1846 (1910)  | M. Campbell
Kilbrandon Congregation (Seil)  |  |
Ardbrecknish[18] | St James, Ardbrecknish  |  | 1892
Islay[19] | St Columba, Bridgend (Islay)  |  | 1888  | \-
Campbeltown[20] | St Kiaran, Campbeltown  |  | 1848
Isle of Arran[21] | St Margaret of Scotland, Arran  |  | 1902  | S. Mackenzie
Inveraray[22] | All Saints, Inveraray  | [4] | C19th (1886)
Kilmartin[23] | St Columba, Kilmartin  | 1854
Lochgilphead[24] | Christ Church, Lochgilphead  | 1842 (1851)
Dunoon[25] | Holy Trinity, Dunoon  | [5] | 1846 (1850)  |
Rothesay[26] | St Paul, Rothesay  | [6] | c. 1830 (1854)
Isles Cathedral[27] | Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Cumbrae | [7] | 1849  | K. Pearson

### Former congregation

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Benefice  | Church  | Founded (building)  | Seceded from SEC

|
|
|

Harris, Isle of (Christ Church)[28] | Christ Church, Harris  | 1973 (1999)  | 2018

### Closed churches in the diocese area

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Church  | Location  | Building  | Closed  | Ref

|
|
|
|

St Columba, Tighnabruaich  | Tighnabruaich |  | c. 2011  | [29]
Holy Spirit, Ardchattan  | Ardchattan | 1886  | 2008  | [30]

## References

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1. ^ "The Dean & Vice Dean". King's College London. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
2. ^ "Scottish Episcopal Church selects new bishop for Argyll and The Isles". Evening Express. Press Association. 30 January 2021. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
3. ^ "Scottish Episcopal Church Argyll and the Isles Homepage". argyll.anglican.org. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
4. ^ "New bishop consecrated in Argyll and The Isles". The Oban Times. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
5. ^ "Christ Church, Harris Accepts Oversight From Bishop Andy Lines". scottishanglican.net. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
6. ^ "Law and religion round-up – 26th November | Law & Religion UK". www.lawandreligionuk.com. Retrieved 8 December 2017.
7. ^ "Notices - The Scottish Episcopal Church". The Scottish Episcopal Church. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 9 February 2018.
8. ^ "The Benefice of Stornoway (St Peter)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
9. ^ "The Benefice of Eoropaidh (St Moluag)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
10. ^ "The Benefice of Portree (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
11. ^ "The Benefice of Kinlochmoidart (St Finian)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
12. ^ "The Benefice of Strontian". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
13. ^ "The Benefice of West Highland Region". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
14. ^ "The Benefice of Lochbuie (St Kilda)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
15. ^ "The Benefice of Iona (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
16. ^ "Argyll and the Isles Cathedral". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
17. ^ "The Benefice of Oban (Cathedral of St John)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
18. ^ "The Benefice of Ardbrecknish (St James)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
19. ^ "The Benefice of Islay (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
20. ^ "The Benefice of Campbeltown (St Kiaran)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
21. ^ "The Benefice of Arran, Isle Of". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
22. ^ "The Benefice of Inveraray (All Saints)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
23. ^ "The Benefice of Kilmartin (St Columba)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
24. ^ "The Benefice of Lochgilphead (Christ Church)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
25. ^ "The Benefice of Dunoon (Holy Trinity)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
26. ^ "The Benefice of Rothesay (St Paul)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 14 September 2018.
27. ^ "The Benefice of Cumbrae (Cathedral of the Isles and Collegiate Church of the Holy Spirit)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
28. ^ "The Benefice of Harris, Isle of (Christ Church)". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
29. ^ "The Benefice of Tighnabruaich". www.crockford.org.uk. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
30. ^ "From the Bishop" (PDF). Argyll & The Isles. No. 91\. Spring 2009. p. 1.

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* t
* e

Scottish Episcopal Church

Bishops|

* The Primus: Mark Strange, Bishop of Moray, Ross and Caithness
* John Armes, Bishop of Edinburgh
* Kevin Pearson, Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway
* Anne Dyer, Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney
* Keith Riglin, Episcopal Bishop of Argyll and The Isles
* Andrew Swift, Bishop of Brechin
* Ian Paton, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane

Dioceses|

* Aberdeen & Orkney
* Argyll & The Isles
* Brechin
* Edinburgh
* Glasgow & Galloway
* Moray, Ross & Caithness
* St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane

Other|

* Scottish Prayer Book (1929)
* Nonjuring schism
* John Knox

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