St John's Church (Port Ellen)

St John’s Church stands in Port Ellen on the southern coast of Islay in Argyll and Bute. It is a single-storey building in the Arts and Crafts style, designed by Arthur George Sydney Mitchell and completed in 1898. The church replaced earlier places of worship at Lagavulin as the local congregation grew. Its rectangular plan and simple form reflect the movement’s emphasis on craftsmanship and natural materials. Three stained-glass windows add colour and meaning to the interior. The church holds memorials that tell local stories. A window honours Revd James Mackinnon, minister here from 1894 to 1938, showing Christ the Good Shepherd. Another remembers Iain Ramsay of Kidalton, killed in 1942. A third window depicts a haymaking scene, linking faith with everyday rural life. In 1945 an organ was donated to remember six men from the parish lost during the Second World War. Inside, the church remains plain and calm. The walls and roof frame the three memorial windows, each lit by daylight. The space is small but carefully arranged, with simple furnishings and a sense of quiet reflection. Outside, the church sits among modern buildings near the waterfront, its modest presence contrasting with the surrounding houses.