All-Things-Ness in Scotland

September 11, 2018

(Balsporran...Scottish Highlands)

We walked into the New High Church...a church that was surrounded by the biggest graveyard in the City of Inverness, Scotland.

Seated in the first pew was an elderly couple...the woman was a greeter and hostess for anyone walking in to view the place. The man, we later found out was the organist.

"Welcome!" She said and she went on to tell about New High Church...which turned out to be the oldest church in Inverness.

"It was organized when King Robert the Bruce gave his consent to set a church in ancient Inverness. And during the Reformation it became Protestant and there are Regimental Flags from WWI and many soldiers from here went to the Boer War and the organ is an origninal from (some-guy-or-other.)" She helpfully informed us.

I chimed in....."And I see that the son-in-law of John Knox was a preacher here for a few years!"

(This was a big deal to me. John Knox as any minister knows is a towering figure in the Reformation and can be mentioned in the same breath as Martin Luther and John Calvin. Knox is huge! So, I was rather impressed that he sent his son in law to this VERY church!

The hostess looked blank. The organist looked blank.

"Well, no....I don't think John Knox was involved in our history." She said.

I remained casual and upbeat but said...."Well, I read on the signboard history out front that Knox sent his son-in-law here to minister."

The woman looked at the man and said..."We really got to g out to go out there and read that signboard."

And so it began......

We always hear of the Scottish Highlands...that land of the Clans....and high mountains and hills....but after that.....

Our B&B in Balsporan was claimed to be the highest B&B in Scotland. Fortunately, the main highway north the A9 snaked right past our door...(a quarter mile off A9). The morning was crisp and clear and we walked into the treeless highlands. There are deer and grouse. Hunters come for the grouse...the hunters wear tweed. Hunting in Scotland is for the wealthy....you gotta look the part.

Heading down the road we stopped in quaint Newtonmore so that Makaila could browse a tweed shop....very exclusive stuff in this tiny town. I asked if there were any quaint churches to see. This question was met with befuddlement....like I had asked if there were any nuclear reactors nearby. The shopkeeper said, with no trace of humor..."this town is mostly pagan."

Nevertheless they had a money machine, great public bathrooms and a fine grocery. Pagan or not...we pressed on. (They DID have a street called Church Lane, I believe...so at one time...Perhaps...)

Inverness was the morning destination. In this part of Scotland...everything is built of stone...everything! You'll see that St. Andrews (just above) has this red stone. Inverness Castle (higher above) is also red stone. Sandstone? I don't know...but from the river one could see about nine or ten church spires...most churches were this red stone.

While we can marvel at the red stone and the beauty and history of these churches...in general....the church does not seem to be too dynamic these days. I may be wrong but things are changing. Occasionally people at the B&B or restaurants will ask what I do....I am honest about being a minister....but they quickly change the subject and seem to fear that I might ask them if they attend church. Anyway....if you are traveling in these parts....and are tired of someone talking too much...tell them you're a minister....they're quickly change the subject. If not.....mention John Knox and they'll be totally perplexed.

I will never tire of ornate (and probably expen$ive) pulpits. Definitely a hold over from the pre-Reformation Era.

But, we liked Inverness....on the River Ness....and I suppose south of here is Lock Ness and all that. The River Ness is quite impressive as it comes out of the Highlands to the South and heads to the sea at the Moray Firth.

The wind was stiff and crisp on this day, but the sun was out. I shudder to think how little sunlight they get around here in the winter but the downtown area (everything made of stone!) was quite impressive.

Here is the Old High Church....oldest in Inverness....and possibly home to John Know son-in-law.....surrounded by a great and very old church graveyard. My favorite part of the tour of the old church was the carpeting on the side aisle. The guide pointed to the carpet and said..."Under this carpet are plaques commemorating a Lord Mayor and his wife of a few hundred years ago, who are buried under the aisle....we didn't even know they were there because it was carpeted a few decades ago."

After having informed them of their own John Knox connection...I didn't feel like asking why they don't uncover the plaques. We headed out....as the organist began to practice.