The Reformation

It must have been a difficult time for the people of Kenmore during the upheaval of the Reformation. Their Church had been served for over a hundred years by “Vicars” saying mass in Latin. Although few could have
understood the service it was for them the only form they knew. Then came the great change. William Ramsay was put “in possession of the Manse and gleib land
occupied in times past by the Vicars”, but stayed only a short time. He was followed bya Reader, Duncan Maclagan. After the Reformation,the Church did not have sufficient ministers for all the parishes in the land and there was a particular shortage of ministers able to speak in the Gaelic (or Irish) tongue. So we find in 1574 that one Duncan Macaulay became minister not only of Kenmore but of Fortingall, Dull, Weem, Foss and Grantully as well. From all accounts he worked very hard to give his parishioners a sound knowledge of the scripture, and it was during his incumbency that the new Church was built on the site of the present building, after the laird had led a petition of the parishioners to have a new Church at Kenmore.

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