The Pilgrim’s Palace

Having built a bridge to the glebe with the help of the Royal Engineers, the only thing to prevent us starting work on our Youth Project was the provision of accommodation for the young folk when they were with us. We had a site – the extensive manse garden – and we had a plan: to create a number of small chalets (financially out of the question) or to use yurts (sophisticated tents on a wooden frame traditionally covered with hides and found, among other places, in Siberia). We had already started exploring the possibility of buying these large tents when Qinetiq (based at Lochgoil) offered us six rather splendid portacabin units which fitted together with a corridor and which would make a splendid accommodation block. We consulted with the Planning Department to ascertain whether we would be in trouble if we put these temporary buildings in the Manse garden and we were given the go-ahead to proceed. But we had no funds to move the buildings from Lochgoil to Luss. Gareloch Support Services, based in Rhu, immediately offered to cover the costs of transport and the units were delivered and assembled by our own team from Arrochar with the assistance of an elder from the minister’s previous charge who took care of all of the plumbing work.

The plumbing work wasn’t based in the six accommodation units but in a large cabin situated at the end of the accommodation corridor. This unit (along with another unit which now contains a traditional weaving-loom) was provided for us by Babcock Naval Services and now houses a luxury facility for male and female visitors with toilets, showers and wash-hand basins. The whole of the complex is centrally heated. Our project officer, Bob Seaward, recruited friends and family to assist him in painting the completed units, inside and out, and the porta-cabin complex became ‘The Pilgrim’s Palace.’ Each of the accommodation units is equipped with three double bunks enabling a total of thirty-six folk to sleep within the Pilgrim’s Palace. Under-bunk storage completes the facility which was found to be both convenient and comfortable by all who have come to visit.

There are no cooking facilities at the Palace because everyone comes to the Manse to eat in the large dining room there. This is quite important because it ensures that visitors do not feel that they are camped out at the foot of the Manse garden but are part of the Church family using the facilities of the Manse as well. Earlier this year a new lounge was fitted out for visitors at the Manse and a wardroom dining table capable of seating twenty-two in some comfort was donated to the dining room.

The accommodation facility is an ideal one and a very good example of the assistance which businesses have been delighted to offer to us as we have taken our project plans forward.