History of the hall

The Hall was built to accommodate meetings of the Doune & District branch of the Scottish Women’s Rural Institute, which to most was known as ‘the Rural’. Since its establishment in 1922, the branch had mainly met in Doune Public School on Moray Street.

However with growing membership (over ninety by the end of 1923) the ladies of the Rural were finding the accommodation “somewhat limited,” and other halls in the area lacked the facilities for all important cookery and practical demonstrations.

Their President, Mrs Henderson of Argaty, generously offered to gift a purpose built hall for the Rural to use; a proposal heartily accepted by the branch members.

Architects were appointed, a vacant feu on North Lea donated by the Earl of Moray, and around ten months later the hall was ready to open its doors.

Ready, albeit with some works still outstanding. Even so, at the opening meeting in October 1924 the hall was described as “a marvel of convenience and up-to-dateness while its appearance is a joy to the eye.”

The branch gave up management of the hall in 2006 which, as per the original gift, reverted to a trust of the Bowser family (descendants of Mrs Henderson). In turn they donated it for community use in 2010, under the auspices of Kilmadock Development Trust.

In October of 2024, the community celebrated the centenary of the hall with a weekend of special events.

Kilmadock Development Trust Limited