The Disruption

His successor, David Duff, had a much more radical change to deal with. Inducted to Kenmore Parish in 1831, the whole of his ministry was affectedby the question of patronage. Many were beginning to feel that the custom
by which the land-owners, who by law were responsible for the stipend of the minister, and had the right to “present” a minister to a congregation, should be changed. Many were of the opinion that the Church should be freed from any direct or indirect interference by the State. As the Reformed Church believed in the priesthood of all believers, it was felt that the calling of the minister should be the responsibility of all members.
While this question of patronage was the popular cause of those who were disaffected, it is clear now that there was a deeper division within the Church.

This basic division lay between those who had the more moderate view of religion in belief and worship and those who had a more evangelical approach. Whatever the reasons, the Disruption took place in 1843 and the Church of Scotland was divided. The division took place within almost all her congregations. In Lawers, however, the entire congregation left. The Church of Scotland accepted the situation, and allowed them to keep their
church building. At Kenmore, six elders and large numbers of the congregation, including the 2nd Marquis of Breadalbane, left.

The Marquis built churches for the Free Church congregation at Kenmore Inow the craft shop) and Ardeonaig. One can only imagine the hurt and bitterness which this division caused, but Dr. Duff continued to up-build his own congregation. The Church, which is reported to have been a cold and dark building then, was further renovated in 1871. The walls were plastered and the woodwork restored. During the work of reflooring, the bones of the Royalist Colonel Wogan were discovered, taken from the church and interred in the Churchyard, thereby fulfilling the wishes of the 1654 Kirk Session. Because of the changing social conditions, and the division of the Church, the communion roll at Kenmore was reduced from 919 members in 1815to 159 in 1844.
It was in 1842, that the Queen Empress Victoria came to Taymouth and saw the Parish of Kenmore for the first time. Like all other visitors, she was greatly impressed by the beauty of the loch and mountain, river and wood,
and was to record in her journal: “The cheering of the great crowd, the picturesqueness of the dresses, the beauty of the surrounding country with its rich background of wooded hills, altogether formed one of the finest scenes imaginable”.

The Campbells of Breadalbane were at the height of their power, as the following verses which appeared in Punch in 1903 indicate:

From Kenmore
To Ben Mohr
The land is a’ the Markiss’s
The mossy howes,
The heathery knowes,
An’ ilka bonnie park is his.

The muircocks craw,
The piper’s blaw,
The gillies hard day’s wark is his.
From Kenmore
To Benmohr
The wand is a’ the Markiss’s.

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