Sandhead Church seats 120 and is situated in the seaside village of Sandhead, ten miles from Stranraer. This is the parish church for Stoneykirk and was built in the 1960's.
Ardwell Church is approximately two miles further on from Sandhead. It is 106 years old and seats 220. The church was renovated for its Centenary year 2002. This work was undertaken by "Alps" the Ayrshire firm, (Ayrshire Lightning Protection Services) per Duncan Stanners. Alterations were carried out to such a high degree that the church was thought to be relatively new so that it is now a very popular wedding venue for local people and visitors. Also for the Centenery Year New Seat Cushions were made for the pews and the brass unbrella fittings on the pews were renovated.
The parish of Kirkmaiden is some 15 miles from Stranraer and St Medan's is the parish church, 105 years old and seating 400. One mile away is the second of the parish churches, Kirkmaiden Old Parish Church, known as Kirk Covenant because building began in 1638, the year of the signing of the National Covenant.
Both Sandhead and St Medan's have their own church halls for the use of the organisations and local community. Information on The Manse can be found here.
Two Churches make up the parish of Stoneykirk - Sandhead and Ardwell.
Situated in the seaside village of Sandhead, 10 miles from Stranraer, is the Parish Church built in the 1960's and some three miles further on is Ardwell village where the 106 year-old Ardwell Church is situated.
Sandhead is a very picturesque village with a long main street running from one end to the other. A village shop/Post Office is centrally situated and sells everything; food, hardware, newspapers and beverages and is open 7 days a week. The village also has a hotel the “Tigh na Mara” and plans are afoot for a tearoom. There is a beautiful sandy beach and a slipway for launching boats at full tide. About a mile from the village are two large caravan sites so that the population in the summer is much increased.
Sandhead Primary School is at one end of the village and presently has 71 pupils. A new Medical centre with team of two doctors, two district nurses, a Phlebotomist and specialist nurse.
There is a Bowling Club and Community Hall beside the church. (Indoor & outdoor bowls)
Sandhead 1st, 3rd & 5th Sundays of the month
Ardwell 2nd & 4th Sundays
Both Church Services 10.00 hours’
Average attendances – Sandhead 48, Ardwell 44
Sunday Schools in both churches 10.00 hours. Sandhead 8 pupils & Ardwell 9.
Communion, 3 times per church per year
Congregation roll, 388
Parish has 22 Elders plus a Congregational Board
Church newsletter, four issues per year
Organisations that use the church hall include:
THE PARISH of Kirkmaiden is the Southernmost parish in Scotland and is home to a population of about 600 adults. It is a narrow peninsula 12 miles long with the Irish Sea (North Channel) on its Western coastline and Luce Bay (Solway Firth) on its East. The parish, which begins near the village of Ardwell and ends abruptly at the cliffs of the Mull of Galloway, has the benefits of being warmed by the Gulf Stream.
The parish has two villages, Drummore and Port Logan (location of the TV series 2000 Acres of Sky) and two hamlets, Kirkmaiden and Damnaglaur. Children from incoming families help to boost the Drummore Primary school roll to about 51. There are three teachers at the prize‑winning school, whose head teacher welcomes visits from our Ministers and helps to foster good relations between school and church. The children move on from the primary school to Stranraer Academy.
The parish's main industry is agriculture with fishing on a more modest scale. Unfortunately a lot of the young people are forced to leave the parish in their quest for employment.
Our main church, St Medan's, is in the village of Drummore. It was built in 1903, seats 400 and is in a good state of repair. Our second church is Kirkmaiden Old Parish Church, known as Kirk Covenant, because building began in 1638, the year of the signing of the National Covenant.
St Medan's has always been a self‑supporting church. We have an Entertainments Committee so that the parish's people can meet socially as well as spiritually at the likes of Burns Suppers, auctions, Halloween parties, treasure hunts and summer fetes, sometimes held in the magnificent surroundings of local estate gardens.
The parish has its own Doctor's practice, two Women's Rural Institutes, a bowling club, a fishing club, a Community Council, an Information Centre, an RSPB centre, a lighthouse, a visitor centre, volunteer Coastguards, volunteer fire‑fighters, an Old People's Welfare Committee.
Up the hill, Kirk Covenant has benefited from legacies. It is also in a good state of repair and is financed separately from St Medan's. Services are moved there from St Medan's once a month during the summer and are appreciated by locals and holiday‑makers alike.
St Medan's every Sunday 1130 hours. Kirkmaiden, summer months only – last Sunday of month.
Communion is held 3 times per year, one of these at Kirk Covenant.
Parish has 20 Elders plus a Congregational Board,
Congregation roll 236.
Sunday school, 20 children aged from 3 to 11.
Church magazine, the Kirkmaiden Chronicle.
Organisations that use the church hall include.
Stranraer is a ferry port, which along with Cairnryan, provide regular ferry services to Belfast & Larne.
Good bus and train services are provided to Ayr, Glasgow and Dumfries. The local area has a bus service.
The town of Stranraer has various food stores - Morrisons, Tesco, Lidl and some local ones such as Lochs. The main Post Office and sorting office is in the centre of the town along with various garages, hardware shops and nearby garden centres.
The Ryan Centre is a fully equipped sports & leisure centre which includes a swimming pool.
The town has its own castle “The castle of St John” which is open to the public during the summer months.
A very comprehensive library is also situated in the town centre.
Following on from primary school the children can then move to the Stranraer Academy which has 1,140 pupils and sits within its own grounds.
A new hospital, the Galloway Community Hospital, was founded in 2006 and fully open for patients by October 2007. It has a maternity unit and takes care of out patients, including day surgery.
There are numerous Golf clubs and hotels within the surrounding area.
The town also has a football club and a Marine park with boats and a miniature railway.
Wigtownshire Rugby Club (http://www.wigtownshirerfc.co.uk) in Ladies Walk, Stranraer, has a good Clubhouse and two squash courts. There are tennis courts in the the park.
Mrs Wendy MacMaster, Culgroat, Stoneykirk, Stranraer DG9 9DZ; Tel 01776 830215
Rev. Michael Shepherd, Ervie Manse, Kirkcolm, Stranraer DG9 0QX; Tel 01776 854225