High Kirk Of Rothesay, Rothesay, Bute

The High Kirk of Rothesay is a church built in 1796 by Robertson Buchanan, with later additions in 1906. It is located on the island of Bute. The church is a near-rectangular building with a 3-bay by 4-bay layout, and single-bay projections to the north (original entrance) and east (entrance added in 1906). The exterior is predominantly harled with red ashlar dressings and polished sandstone margins. It features a raised base course and moulded eaves. The windows are round-arched, set within square-headed surrounds. A single-storey, random rubble outbuilding is attached to the east.

The east elevation has a pedimented, two-story wing at the centre, containing a tripartite timber-panelled door within a decorative doorpiece. A quadripartite glazing row is positioned above the door. Single windows flank the entrance on the ground floor, and round-arched windows are at the first floor. The north side features a similar pedimented addition. A timber bracketed bell-hood (the bell is missing) is positioned to the left of the centre, above round-arched windows. The west elevation has single windows at ground level, with round-arched windows above. The south side has a two-leaf boarded timber door at ground level, flanked by full-height round-arched windows and single windows on either side.

The interior was largely recast in 1906. A timber-panelled dado runs along the side entrance, with matching doors. The main hall extends east-west and includes a boarded timber dado, timber pews, and a gallery to the north, east, and south, supported by painted Corinthian columns. A decorative circular vent is situated beneath a foliate ceiling rose, and a two-tiered chandelier originating from around 1800 hangs centrally. A staircase leads to a raised, polygonal pulpit, featuring an arcaded base, decorative timber panelling, pilastered divisions, a corniced timber backdrop, and flanking polygonal organ casings.

The outbuilding's west elevation has a boarded timber door, and the north side has single windows. It has 12-pane timber sash and case windows and a graded grey slate roof.

A graveyard with an interesting variety of gravestones is located to the east, south, and west of the building. A stepped coped random rubble boundary wall runs along High Street, punctuated by square-plan sandstone gatepiers with pyramidal caps. Decorative cast-iron railings are between the piers, with two-leaf entrance gates.