Dualchas Sunart Heritage Group

About Dualchas

Dualchas is the name of the Sunart Heritage Group, part of the Sunart Community Company.

Meaning ‘heritage’ in Gaelic, the group was established in January 2022 with the aim of preserving, protecting and celebrating the heritage of the Sunart region.

One of our key objectives is to create a permanent site where our archives can be stored and exhibited.  This goal was supported by over 70% of respondents in the most recent community survey.

With the recent purchase of the former Church of Scotland building we now have an ideal location to house and display the archive.  Ultimately, we want to make the archive freely available to the community, visitors to the area and other heritage groups across Scotland, ensuring its continuation for generations to come.  The archive will also be digitised online, making it accessible to the diaspora around the world.

Having purchased the church building, our next step is to begin the lengthy process of refurbishment and repurposing.  There is an urgent need to carry out essential repairs, to make the structure weatherproof.  We’ll then need to commission and approve architectural designs before beginning reconstruction.  

This will all need considerable funding, with support from a combination of funding bodies plus, we hope, donations from the local community and those around the world who can trace their roots back to Strontian and surrounding areas.

Discover more

If you’d like to learn more about the development of the Sunart Heritage Centre please click on the following links:

The history of the church building

A short summary of the history of Strontian Parish Church and the acquisition by the Sunart Community Company

Proposals for the development of the Heritage Centre

A copy of the original proposal document, submitted as part of our funding bid, which described the situation at the time, the funding process and options, together with options for the building refurbishment.

Report on the condition of the church building

A copy of the report produced as part of the original funding bid, describing the structural condition of the old church building, the work required and providing outline costings.

The work carried out by Dualchas

A quick look at some of the work in cleaning memorials and gravestones in Strontian Parish Church, carried out by the team of Dualchas volunteers

Old photographs of Strontian

We’re gradually digitising as many old documents and photographs as possible from the Dualchas archive. To give you a flavour of the photographs we hold, here a few old images from around Strontian.

Stay connected

Our Facebook page is where we will keep you up to date with our progress and any projects we have underway.

To find out more, or get in touch with us directly, please email: dualchas-sunartheritage@hotmail.com

The latest documents covering the activities of the Dualchas Sunart Heritage Group can be found in the document library.