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The congregation of Blair Atholl and Struan Free Church, which sat within the Presbytery of Dunkeld, was established in 1843 at the time of the Disruption when Atholl Struan, the son of the late minister of the parish church of Blair Atholl, adhered to the free church. Blair Atholl Parish church was vacant in 1843, with Atholl Stuart acting as a supply minister. His services continued to a Free Church congregation, who requested that he be ordained as their minister, owing to some objections however, his ordination did not take place for a further 12 months. Worship was held in Blair Atholl initially in temporary wooden accommodation, until a site upon which a permanent church could be built was obtained in 1855. Accommodation difficulties were also experienced in Struan, with shelter for service being provided by an innkeeper and also a local farmer, until the station of Struan was united with Blair Atholl Free Church in 1881. After the two congregations were united, service continued at Struan on alternate Sundays. In 1900, upon the union of the Free Church and the United Presbyterians, Blair Atholl and Struan Free Church became Blair Atholl and Struan, United Free Church and following the 1929 union between the United Presbyterians and the Church of Scotland, Blair Atholl and Struan United Free was renamed Blair Atholl St Andrew's. A number of years thereafter in 1934, Blair Atholl St Andrew's was joined with the congregation of Blair Atholl Blair, once more under the name of Blair Atholl and Struan. After this local union the Blair Atholl, Struan and Trinafour churches remained in use. |