St Columba's church: a very special building! 

St Columba's church was built in 1862 and its inside was upgraded in 1876. It was built by the heritors of the parish, ie the Small isles landowners, amongst whom was Professor Norman Macherson. 

Prof MacPhersom - who tought law at Edinburgh University, inherited the island from his father - see our page on the MacPherson family.  The MacPhersons were a church going family and it was important for thewm to have a place of worship on the island of Eigg, which as the most populated of the four Small isles was also the place of residence of the Small isles minister. They donated a piece of land near the Glebe and a " exceeding neat and simple " church was erected in simple gothic style with lovely lancet windows and a high pitched roof of Ballachulish slates. 

Solas Eige's conservation architect, Ruairidh Moir from Bard, noticed the proportions of the church inside and outside were designed using the Golden Ratio, giving it a really special quality of space inside and pleasing proportions outside. This was certainly not un-intentional.