The house was built in 1880 as the rectory and choir school for St Andrews church. The church is situated on the High Street in front of the house. Originally the church and school were encompassed in the same grounds but now new houses and a road separate them. The church was designed to be the Cathedral for the diocese of Argyll and the Isles, hence the need for a choir school to provide the cathedral choir. Both buildings were designed by the architect Alexander Ross. However it was then decided to locate the cathedral in Oban instead. The granite for the house was floated down the Caledonian Canal from Abriachan Quarry near Inverness. Much of the finances to build and maintain the school came from Mr. George Baynton Davey an Englishman married to a local woman from Spean Bridge. He was an engineer who had made his fortune in guano from South America. He paid the wages for the organist Mr. William Thompson from Bishop Wilberforce’s College at Culham, Berkshire, the other teachers and scholarships for four English choir boys Mr. Davey died in 1907 and is buried in the graveyard of the church. With his passing the burden of supporting the choir school became too heavy for the congregation, and despite a petition signed by most of its members, Bishop and vestry was compelled to close the school down when the Kilmallie school board could not see their way to support it with a government grant. The building was divided into two dwelling houses and sold in 1915.
The rectory side has had very few changes to the structure as it was built as a residence for the rector and servants quarters.
The tower housed the bell until 1965 when it was removed to the church.
On the gable end of the house is a sandstone plaque inscribed with “St Andrews School 1880”. Above the front door is inscribed (not in Latin as one might expect but in Spanish) “Man proposes, God disposes”. Also faintly seen above the door is the name “St Andrews House” which has been eroded by the west coast weather. The wood inside the house is pure unbled pitch pine and is no longer obtainable.
This side was originally the school and had no staircase or first floor. The classrooms were open to the internal roof which was supported by solid pitch pine beams. These beams can be seen in some of the bedrooms. A solid stone fireplace has been restored it its original condition (it had been painted many times!) and bears the inscription “Gloria in Excelsis”. There is also an inscription above the front door from Ecclesiastes “Remember now thy creator in the days of thy youth”. The “classroom” is inscribed “I love them that they love me”. The “classroom” windows are ornately decorated outside with carved sandstone and polished granite pillars.
The two stained glass rose windows to the front and rear of the house depict the scene of the Virgin and Child.
COPYRIGHT – BLACK SHEEP HOTELS, SCOTLAND | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Another STAAH successful site
