Church of the Week
South Uist, Western Isles
A rare enclosed communion table is the most striking feature at our Church of the Week, Howmore Church on South Uist, in the Western Isles. Built in the 1850s by craftsmen drawn from the small Protestant community on the island, and designed by architect John McDearmid, the church is a simple rectangular building with white harled walls. Harling is a wall finish which replaces the need for paint, and which provides protection against wet weather. Inside, the communion table is the central feature, running right down the middle of the church. It’s painted to resemble marble, and sits inside a low wooden enclosure. Howmore is one of the only churches in Scotland that still has this style of communion table, which is connected with the tradition of communion tokens. A practice that continued into the 19th century, only those who had proven their readiness for communion would be given a token, and only those with a token would be allowed to enter the enclosure and sit at the table. In 2019, a Cornerstone Grant from the National Churches Trust supported Howmore Church to repair external stonework and install toilets and kitchen facilities, helping ensure that this church, which is open every day, can keep serving the local community.
View South Uist Howmore Church
