Old Parish Church And Churchyard, Manse Road, Aberfoyle

The Old Parish Church at Manse Road, Aberfoyle, was built in 1744 and fell out of use following the construction of the New Parish Church in 1870. Shortly thereafter, the roof was removed to prevent continued use. The church is a simple, single-story, rectangular structure built of random rubble. A small, roofed session house, constructed around 1839, is attached to the east end. The Old Parish Church and its associated burial ground represent the oldest standing building in the parish, retaining its basic architectural quality and character. The burial ground incorporates several notable gravestones, including that of Rev Robert Kirk.

The church, oriented east-west, is centrally located within the original burial ground, which has been extended twice northward during the 20th century. The north elevation is plain, while the south elevation features four regular bays with tall window openings. The current entrance is in the west wall, likely created around 1839 when the session house was added, resulting in the blocking up of the original east entrance. A small porch once existed at the west entrance, as evidenced by marks on the stonework and details on the first edition Ordnance Survey map. The near-square plan session house has a slated pitched roof and harled rubble walls. The west wallhead displays a rebuilt stone belfry; the bell formerly hanging from this is now located at the New Parish Church.

Within the church are 19th-century gravestones and wall memorials, alongside two cast iron mort safes flanking the west door. The oldest section of the burial ground contains detailed gravestones, lying slabs, and tomb tables dating from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, some commemorating slate quarry workers with slate inlays. This area is enclosed by a rubble wall with rounded copes. Coped, square-plan ashlar gateposts and metal gates are set within the west wall. The north boundary wall has been reduced to allow access to the second-phase burial ground, added in the early 20th century, which contains 19th and 20th-century gravestones and is bordered by rubble walls with flat copes. To the north of the west boundary, curved wing walls flank classical concrete gatepiers topped with ball finials, complemented by cast iron gates decorated with lion's mask motifs and matching railings.