# Diocese of Argyll and The Isles (Episcopal)

The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is in the west of Scotland, and is one of the seven dioceses of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is perhaps the largest of the dioceses, but has the smallest number of church members. As a united diocese, Argyll and The Isles has two cathedrals: St John's in Oban and the Cathedral of The Isles in Millport, Isle of Cumbrae.
The Diocese of the Isles, by itself, was founded by Patrick in 900, and the Diocese of Argyll was founded by Bishop Harald in 1193. During the Scottish Reformation, most of the heritage and jurisdiction of the church was given to the Church of Scotland. However, the small Scottish Episcopal Church has maintained the line of bishops of both dioceses through to the present day. In the seventeenth century, the Diocese of the Isles was united with the dioceses of Caithness and Orkney, and, in 1819, it was separated from them to unite with the Diocese of Argyll. In 1847, the Scottish Episcopal Diocese of Argyll and The Isles was officially established with Alexander Ewing as the first Bishop. In 1878, the Roman Catholic Church created their own Diocese of Argyll and the Isles. The diocese is responsible for the only two Episcopalian retreat houses in Scotland (Bishop's House Iona and the College of the Holy Spirit at the Cathedral of The Isles). Keith Riglin, Vice Dean of King's College London, was elected by an Electoral Synod on 30 January 2021; his consecration was on 1 May 2021. Bishop Keith died on 24 September 2023 leaving the diocesan seat vacant until the election and installation of David Railton in 2024.
The Diocese of Argyll and The Isles is twinned with the Anglican Diocese of Zanzibar (Anglican Church of Tanzania) and the Episcopal Diocese of Delaware (Episcopal Church in the United States of America).

## Area and population

The diocese covers the historic counties of Argyllshire (population 60,000) and Buteshire (population 12,500), the Hebridean parts of Inverness-shire and Ross and Cromarty (population 38,000), and the Lochaber area of Inverness-shire (population 16,500). This total population of approximately 127,000 makes it the smallest British Anglican diocese by population apart from the Diocese of Sodor and Man. It gives the diocese a ratio of one priest to every 18,100 inhabitants and one church to every 3,850 inhabitants.

## Secessions

On 24 November 2017 the congregation of Christ Church, Harris, a Scottish Episcopal church in the Western Isles, announced that they could no longer remain under the oversight of their local bishop, Kevin Pearson, then-Bishop of Argyll and The Isles, owing to his support of the SEC's approval of same-sex marriage. They would instead be receiving the episcopal ministry of Andy Lines, the Missionary Bishop to Europe of the Anglican Church in North America. Daniel Davies, the priest-in-charge of Christ Church, resigned his SEC position on 22 January 2018.

## Churches

The diocese currently has 8 stipendiary clergy (including the Bishop who is also the Provost of Cumbrae Cathedral) and 32 active churches.
| Benefice/parish | Churches | Founded (building) | Stipendiary clergy |
| Lewis and Harris | St Peter, Stornoway | C18th (1838) | Jody Szoke |
| Lewis and Harris | St Moluag, Eoropaidh | 1912 (Medieval) | Jody Szoke |
| Uist and Barra | St Brendan the Navigator, North Uist | | Sue Newby |
| Skye and Raasay | St Columba, Portree | 1884 | Rosemary Bungard |
| Skye and Raasay | St Michael & All Angels, Raasay | | Rosemary Bungard |
| Skye and Raasay | St Mary, Kilmore, Sleat | | Rosemary Bungard |
| Kinlochmoidart with Strontian | St Finan, Kinlochmoidart | 1858 | Led by laypeople |
| Kinlochmoidart with Strontian | Strontian Congregation | No building | Led by laypeople |
| Fort William | St Andrew, Fort William | 1817 (1880) | Vacant |
| Mull | St Columba, Gruline | 1873 | Led by laypeople |
| West Highland Region | St John, Ballachulish | 1770 (1842) | Amanda Fairclough |
| West Highland Region | St Adamnan, Duror | C18th (1848) | Amanda Fairclough |
| West Highland Region | St Mary, Glencoe | C18th (1883) | Amanda Fairclough |
| West Highland Region | St Paul, Kinlochleven | 1908 (1954) | Amanda Fairclough |
| West Highland Region | St Bride, Onich | 1874 | Amanda Fairclough |
| West Highland Region | Holy Cross (orig. St John), Portnacroish | 1809 | Amanda Fairclough |
| Iona | St Columba's Chapel, Bishop's House, Iona | 1894 | Joyce Watson (Chaplain) |
| Argyll Cathedral with Ardbrecknish & Kilbrandon | Cathedral of St John the Divine, Oban | 1846 (1910) | Margi Campbell (Dean & Provost) Tom Ebbens (Curate, Ardbrecknish) |
| Argyll Cathedral with Ardbrecknish & Kilbrandon | Easdale, Seil and Luing Congregation | No building | Margi Campbell (Dean & Provost) Tom Ebbens (Curate, Ardbrecknish) |
| Argyll Cathedral with Ardbrecknish & Kilbrandon | St James, Ardbrecknish | 1892 | Margi Campbell (Dean & Provost) Tom Ebbens (Curate, Ardbrecknish) |
| Islay and Jura | St Columba, Bridgend, Islay | 1888 | Led by laypeople |
| Campbeltown | St Kiaran, Campbeltown | 1848 | Led by laypeople |
| Arran, Inveraray, Kilmartin and Lochgilphead | St Margaret of Scotland, Whiting Bay, Arran | 1902 | Simon Mackenzie |
| Arran, Inveraray, Kilmartin and Lochgilphead | All Saints, Inveraray | C19th (1886) | Simon Mackenzie |
| Arran, Inveraray, Kilmartin and Lochgilphead | St Columba, Poltalloch, Kilmartin | 1854 | Simon Mackenzie |
| Arran, Inveraray, Kilmartin and Lochgilphead | Christ Church, Lochgilphead | 1842 (1851) | Simon Mackenzie |
| Dunoon, Rothesay, Kames, Tighnabruaich & West Cowal | Holy Trinity, Dunoon | 1846 (1850) | Vacant |
| Dunoon, Rothesay, Kames, Tighnabruaich & West Cowal | St Paul, Rothesay | c. 1830 (1854) | Vacant |
| Isles Cathedral | Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, Cumbrae | 1849 | Alastair Chisholm (Lay Chaplain) |

### Former congregation

| Benefice | Church | Founded (building) | Seceded from SEC |
| Harris, Isle of (Christ Church) | Christ Church, Harris | 1973 (1999) | 2018 |

### Closed churches in the diocese area

| Church | Building | Closed |
| St Columba, Tighnabruaich | | c. 2011 |
| Holy Spirit, Ardchattan | 1886 | 2008 |
| St Moluag, Kentallen | 1868 | pre-2015 |
| St Mary, Strontian | 1875 | |
| Holy Cross, North Uist | | |
| St Kilda, Lochbuie (Mull) | 1876 | |