History

In Assynt (Lochinver and Elphin) the minister of the parish, Rev Charles Gordon and almost the whole congregation ‘came out’ at the Disruption in 1843. The Duke of Sutherland refused to give a site for a church or a manse but eventually buildings were erected 14 miles from the old church. In 1878 a church was built in Elphin and in 1893 a church and a manse were built in Lochinver. The minister in 1900, Rev Norman MacKay, entered the Union and the congregation had no settled pastor until 1942.

In Stoer (Stoer and Drumbeg) Rev Peter Davidson and a large number of people joined the Free Church at the Disruption. A church and a manse were built. In 1900 Rev Donald Finlayson entered the Union and the congregation was dependent on supply preachers until 1920 when Rev Farquhar Matheson was inducted.

In 1962 Assynt and Stoer were consolidated into one charge. The minister in 2000 did not associate himself with the Reconstitution of the Free Church.

In Eddrachillis (Scourie) only four families out of a population of about 800 refused to enter the Free Church with Mr Tulloch, their minister at the time. As elsewhere, the Duke of Sutherland refused to grant a site for a church and for some months the congregation worshipped in a tent sent from Edinburgh. This was torn to shreds in a gale not long afterwards and the people gathered in the open air at a spot still known locally as the “Worship Stones” near the site of the present Free Church which was built in 1846. A remnant of the Eddrachillis congregation adhered to the Free Church after the events of 1900.

The congregation was linked with the congregation of Rogart in 1981 under the ministry of Rev. Harry Woods. Rev. Allan Murray was inducted to the joint charge in 1988.

The congregations of Assynt and Eddrachillis were consolidated by Act of Assembly in 2007.