Duncansburgh Church

The Duncansburgh Church congregation is part of the Church of Scotland. The church building is used not only for regular worship, but for weddings, funerals and other events. The halls at the back of the church are regularly used for choirs, dance classes, training sessions and social events.

The building was constructed in 1881 at a cost of £5,000. It replaced an earlier church in the High Street that dated to 1792. The pulpit made of Austrian oak was gifted in 1905 and the organ dates to 1906. The original hall was built in 1900 and a new hall added in 2014.

In 1843, the Free Church separated from the Church of Scotland and a Fort William Free Church emerged. In 1890 a building on the hill above Fort William High Street was opened (now a climbing centre). In 1900 the Free Church became part of the United Free Church and in 1929 the United Free and Church of Scotland reunited. In 2007 the two Church of Scotland congregations in the town united, and in 2022 the congregation united with Kilmallie Parish (Caol and Corpach) to form a congregation covering the whole area: Fort William Kilmallie.

Above the front door you can see the “burning bush”. This refers to the story of God calling Moses from a bush that was on fire but not burned up, a sign of God’s presence. The burning bush is uses as the logo of the Church of Scotland nationally.