St Fillan's Church, Killin, a classic 'tin tabernacle' (photo JGH)
Vernacular Building the journal of the Scottish Vernacular Buidlings Group (SVBWG) has an interesting article about this lovely and important building (volume 35, 2011-12). It is one of the earliest surviving corrugated iron churches still in use in Scotland. As architect for the recent restoration of the building (originally built in 1876) Sonya Linskail had unique opportunities to examine the original structure and its later modifications. The construction and conservation issues are well described in the article.
For a century or so from the 1820s corrugated iron was a very important building material for all sorts of purposes with all the advantages of pre-fabrication and portability - it was not unusual for CI buildings to be transported to new sites, sometimes, indeed, without being disassembled. They were still widespread on farms, for example, into the 1960s. But, often despised as temporary and inferior, most have now been lost.
At least St Fillan's, listed as Category C, should now be secure for some time to come.
For a century or so from the 1820s corrugated iron was a very important building material for all sorts of purposes with all the advantages of pre-fabrication and portability - it was not unusual for CI buildings to be transported to new sites, sometimes, indeed, without being disassembled. They were still widespread on farms, for example, into the 1960s. But, often despised as temporary and inferior, most have now been lost.
At least St Fillan's, listed as Category C, should now be secure for some time to come.
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