For over 1,300 years the Church of St Columba has had a presence in Largs, though it has only borne his name for the last 700 or so.
Tradition has it that St Columba himself founded our church — a tradition which may well have some truth in it since, as far back as 711 AD, only 114 years after his death in 597 AD, mention is made of a church here in Largs.
By the year 1253 there is evidence to confirm that the first recorded incumbent of the church was William de Kilkenni, Bishop of Ely. In 1318 the Church of Largs was given to the monks of Paisley Abbey and served the Abbey thereafter till the Reformation in the mid-16th Century - complete in Scotland by 1560.
Roderick, our previous minister was, as far as we know, the 47th incumbent of St Columba's Church.
The original church was in the centre of the town and nowadays the only visible part remaining is the Skelmorlie Aisle. Adjacent to the church, on a site which is now Manse Court, was the manse, occupied by ministers of St Columba's from 1560 to 1762. This was for a time the home of one of St Columba's most famous ministers, the Reverend William Smith.
During a terrible outbreak of Plague in the 1640s the people fled from the town to the district of Outerwards in Brisbane Glen, to the north-east of the town. Their minister, William Smith, went with them and supported them till he too fell victim to the disease. He died at Middleton Farm in September 1647, aged just 28. Tradition affirms that, when Smith lay dying, he prophesied that if two holly trees were planted at his grave, one at his head, the other at his feet, and never allowed to meet, the Plague would never again return to Largs. Needless to say, the local council keep the trees well pruned!
The old church was demolished in 1811 and a new building was erected in 1812 on the present site on the sea front.
As the picture shows, it was a simple building and soon proved to be too small. It, too, was demolished and replaced by the present building in 1892. Built of Ballochmyle sandstone and with a 150 feet high clock tower, the church remains a prominent local landmark.
The interior of the church is spectacular, boasting a magnificent and renowned organ, beautiful carved wood and glorious stained glass windows.
In May 2021, the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland passed the PRESBYTERY MISSION PLAN ACT, requiring every presbytery to produce a Mission Plan to reshape ministries and rethink buildings by the end of 2022.
This marked a move from informal, local decision-making to a clear, structured and nationwide process. The Church of Scotland document 'Well equipped spaces in the right places' states that: Worship spaces need to be fit for purpose — well-equipped and located where they can best serve mission. This statement recognises that holding on to historic buildings is not always the best way to fulfil the Church’s calling, and may limit its ability to follow Jesus faithfully in today’s world.
One of the difficult decisions was to sell St Columba's Church. The General Trustees were instructed to sell the building on behalf of the congregation and, in February 2026, a bid was accepted.