The small parish of Kilmacolm in Renfrewshire may not spring immediately to mind as a location of any particular historical significance, but over the centuries the area has born witness to an astounding number of battles, sieges and feuds, and other events of huge national importance, which allegedly include the birth of William Wallace.
People used to flock to the village from miles around for the famous ’Kilmacolm Preachings’, a Burns Holy Fair, a marathon of preaching followed by a marathon of drinking and riotous behaviour.
Here in the parish John Knox dispensed what was possibly the first Protestant communion in Scotland. The moors above Kilmacolm were a favoured spot for witches to rendezvous with the devil, and Kilmacolm’s minister was in the forefront of seeking them out.
This definitive account of Kilmacolm examines 20th century archaeological findings, historical texts and local records to trace the history of the village and parish from prehistoric times, through the Stone Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age, and from Roman occupation to the present day. It is a unique insight into a truly fascinating area in the Scottish landscape and history.
David Roe moved to Kilmacolm in 1991. A couple of years later he had the opportunity to research the ancient side school in which he lived and the community around it, resulting in the publication of The Side School, the Story of a Rural School in Renfrewshire. This project brought him into contact with many local characters and lead to work with other writers interested in the local history of the area; as a result he was invited by the Kilmacolm Civic Trust to write a history of the village.
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