Kilfinan House History

Kilfinan House was purchased by its current owners in May 2003 when it was extensively refurbished and modernised as our own personal holiday home. The house has had further comprehensive modernisation in spring of 2009, including redecoration, new beds, furnishings and the addition of a new Villeroy & Boch outdoor Spa Bath, and in 2012 we added a table tennis room into one of the outhouses.

Originally Kilfinan House was the Manse for the nearby Church, and was, for many years, called "The Old Manse". Its name was changed in 2003 at the request of the Church of Scotland because it is not considered proper to call a house "The Manse" without it being occupied by a Minister.

The Church is an ancient structure first recorded in the 13th century, although possibly much older. The original church of St Finan has been much altered, with the current structure dating from the mid-18th Century. The interior of the Church was renovated last year and the door is always open for a "look see".
The Lamont or North Aisle was constructed in 1653 together with the ground floor burial vault. This now houses the well-preserved Kilfinan Stones dating from the 9th century. Renovation of this part of the church is planned to allow visitors to properly view the stones

Parts of the property date as far back as the early 1700's with the oldest section being the furthest away barn, now a garage - this may originally have been part of the Kilfinan Farm, the remaining building of which is the neighbouring cottage you can see to the right of the rear garden. The central area, including the outhouses, is believed to have been the original Church Manse perhaps predating all the buildings from the early 1700's. Kilfinan House itself is reputed to date from 1808, although it has seen a number of major alterations since that time.

People have chosen to spend their lives in Kilfinan for many centuries, as one can see from the extent of ancient sites in the area. At one time, several hundred years ago, the local residents could be counted in their thousands and the village itself had numerous Inns and "Drinking Establishments" along the main street. Things have changed now but electricity only came to Kilfinan House, along with the rest of the village, in 1950 when the power was switched on for the first time at a Burns supper in the Kilfinan Hotel!

The fields to the North side of Kilfinan House and down to the Kilfinan Burn were originally called the "Glebe Lands" (ground attached to the Manse to allow the Minister to grow crops) It is interesting to note that the church in its heyday had up to 8 full time gardeners and labourers to manage the walled gardens of the "Old Manse"

Most of the surrounding countryside is part of Otter Estate. On the hill to the North the broad farmhouse with crow-stepped gables is known as "Lindsaig Farm" with "Jocks Lodge" to the left nearby. On the way out of the village towards Tighnabruaich and on the left, is the Home Farm – a working farm of the estate The Otter Estate House is accessed from the first of the main gates to the right beyond the Church however this access is private.

The Hotel at the foot of the drive has been an old Coaching Inn from the 17th Century and Andrew & Helen will be happy to welcome you there, whether for a few drinks or a full evening meal.