Historic Churches Scotland

Historic Churches Scotland[1] (formerly the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust[2]) is a registered charity founded in 1996 which looks after Scottish churches which are of outstanding historic or architectural significance but are no longer used for regular worship. The Trust receives funding from Historic Scotland and public donations. Funding for restoration of churches in Trust ownership is received from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, the Scottish Churches Architectural Heritage Trust, and other trusts and public donations.[3]

A plain chapel-like building with Georgian-style windows on a hill, surrounded by a dense churchyard.
St Marnoch's Kirk, Benholm. The trust acquired this church following its closure in 2003.

The Trust conserves and repairs all of the churches in its care and runs a range of projects to encourage greater public enjoyment and understanding of historic churches. Many of its buildings are used for community, arts and educational activities. All remain as places of worship and occasional services are held.

The Trust presently maintains seven properties throughout Scotland: St Peter's Church, Sandwick in Orkney (acquired 1998),[4] Cromarty East Church in Ross-shire (acquired 1998), Pettinain Church in Lanarkshire (acquired 2000), Tibbermore Church in Perthshire (acquired 2001), Benholm Kirk, Kincardineshire (acquired 2006), Kildrummy Kirk (acquired 2009), and St Margaret's Church, Braemar (acquired 2013).[5][6] The Trust changed its name to Historic Churches Scotland in January 2019.[2]

Key
Category Criteria[7]
A Buildings of national or international importance, either architectural or historic, or fine little-altered examples of some particular period, style or building type.
B Buildings of regional or more than local importance, or major examples of some particular period, style or building type which may have been altered.
C Buildings of local importance, lesser examples of any period, style, or building type, as originally constructed or moderately altered; and simple traditional buildings which group well with others in categories A and B.

List of properties
Name Location Image Date[A] Notes Category
Cromarty East Church Cromarty, Ross-shire
57.680288°N 4.031965°W / 57.680288; -4.031965		 A long, slightly shabby looking chapel, whitewashed with a small belfry. Many different-sized windows are visible. 18th century Formerly Church of Scotland, the kirk was founded in the late 16th century but the building dates largely from the 18th century. The north aisle was added 1739 to create a T-plan church with further alterations in 1756 and 1798. The interior dates from the 18th century with several galleries added in the decades afterwards, most notably in 1756. The church was acquired by the SRCT in 1996, and was restored after being a finalist in the BBC Restoration Village series. Following this exposure, it was awarded a major grant in 2007 when the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and The Highland Council paid for a £1.3 million restoration.[3] A[8]
Pettinain Church Pettinain, Lanarkshire
55.664729°N 3.66279°W / 55.664729; -3.66279		 A grey stone chapel, with angular corners. An ornate bell tower is situated on the west of the building. 18th century A rural parish kirk with beautiful views over Lanarkshire, the site has been a place of worship since the early 12th century when David I established the chapel of Pedynane. The present church dates principally from the 18th century though it incorporates an earlier belfry dated 1692. There is an old grave-slab with a sword and shears carved on it, in use as a lintel above a window on the south side. The church sits within a walled burial ground. Acquired by the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust in 2000 with the support of local people.[9] B[10]
St Marnoch's Church Benholm, Aberdeenshire
56.8144°N 2.3220°W / 56.8144; -2.3220		 A rectangular grey coloured chapel with large windows and small belfrey sits in a steep churchyard. 19th century Although externally plain, this rural parish kirk dates from 1832 and incorporates a 15th-century sacrament house and 17th century monuments of national importance from an earlier church of dating from the 13th century church which was dedicated to St Marnoch. The church is in a rectangular-plan with four bays, pedimented gables and belfry. Inside the church the 1620 monument to Lady Mary Keith, is a fusion of Renaissance architectural details and traditional symbolism that includes knobbly-kneed death skewering Lady Mary's parents. There is also a sophisticated 1690 Scott Monument in white marble with cherubs, drapery and foliage. Declared redundant in 2003, Benholm Kirk was purchased by the SRCT in February 2006 with the support of the local community.[11][12] A[13]
St Peter's Church Sandwick, Orkney
59.058269°N 3.337294°W / 59.058269; -3.337294		 A large cream-coloured chapel, with two tall windows in the centre, a small belfrey and a slate roof. The sea is visible in the background. 19th century An unaltered former Church of Scotland Parish Kirk of 1836 situated on an exposed site near the Bay of Skaill, the interior "evokes the experience of Presbyterian worship in the 19th century" when over 500 people attended the church. It was acquired by the Trust in 1998 and restored between 2002–3. St Peter's was the first major conservation project undertaken by the Trust. This building was on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland and rescued with the aid of £250,000 in grants.[5] The restoration was awarded a Europa Nostra Award for conservation in 2003.[4] A[14]
Tibbermore Church Tibbermore, Perthshire
56.395096°N 3.538963°W / 56.395096; -3.538963		 A severe, grey single-storey chapel with Georgian windows and small bellcote. The churchyard has lines of headstones in neat rows. 17th century The present building dates from 1632, although the site has been a place of worship from the Middle Ages onwards. The church was enlarged in 1789 to designs by James Scobie, and remodelled into a T-plan formation in 1808. The bellcote must have undergone reconstruction at this time, as it is inscribed with the date 1808 on its south face. The interior was refurnished in 1874 and is little altered since that date. The graveyard contains several monuments of interest, in particular a memorial to curler James Ritchie, displaying his curling equipment. Transferred to the Trust in 2001.[15] B[16]
Kildrummy Kirk Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire
57.245136°N 2.876556°W / 57.245136; -2.876556		 Kildrummy Kirk 19th century Former Church of Scotland parish church of 1805 set in open countryside and a prominent landmark on the Huntly to Banchory road. Adjoining it, on a raised mound, are the remains of the former medieval parish church of St Bride. The kirk is almost square in plan with a semicircular bay containing the gallery stair and entrance. Construction is of dressed rubble with pinnings and cherry cocking under a piend slate roof. The roof is a particularly fine feature of the building, combined with the ball finialed square domed bellcote. The two large Gothic tracery windows on the east wall flood the interior with light. The pulpit is placed between them and surrounded by plain wooden pews and a horseshoe gallery on square columns. The furnishings probably date from 1845 to 1850. A[17]
St Margaret's Church Braemar, Aberdeenshire

57.0057°N 3.3971°W / 57.0057; -3.3971 (St Margaret's Church, Braemar)

 St Margaret's Church, Braemar 20th century The former Scottish Episcopal Church was designed by Sir Ninian Comper and completed in 1907. Described by Historic Scotland as "a remarkable example of a late Gothic Revival church", it is considered to be "a rare survival of Comper's work in a substantially unaltered state".[18] Built largely for English tourists spending the summer at "Royal Deeside", its construction cost £8,000.[18] Regular worship ceased in 1997, and in 2003 the church was placed on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.[19] The SRCT and the Prince's Regeneration Trust undertook feasibility studies, and on 17 June 2013 the church was transferred to the SCRT for the sum of £1.[19] The Trust propose to renovate the building as "an arts hub, performance venue, and as a home for a new Braemar fiddle school".[6] A[18]

Notes

A This is the date of first construction of the existing building.

References
  1. "Historic Churches Scotland". Heritage Trust Network. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  2. "Historic Churches Scotland". Companies House website. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
  3. East Church Cromarty, eastchurchcromarty.co.uk, retrieved 18 February 2011
  4. St Peter, Orkney, Scotland's Churches Trust, retrieved 26 February 2013
  5. Church Trusts, Building Conservation, retrieved 18 February 2011
  6. "Projects: St Margaret's Church, Braemar". Scottish Redundant Churches Trust. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
  7. What is Listing?: Categories of listed building, Historic Environment Scotland, retrieved 15 March 2019
  8. Historic Environment Scotland. "CHURCH STREET, EAST PARISH CHURCH (Category A Listed Building) (LB23595)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  9. Pettinain Church, Visit Scotland, retrieved 14 February 2011
  10. Historic Environment Scotland. "PARISH CHURCH AND GRAVEYARD (Category B Listed Building) (LB14173)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  11. Benholm Kirk, srct.org.uk (Archived page). Retrieved 18 February 2011
  12. St Marnoch, Benholm, British Listed Buildings, retrieved 18 February 2011
  13. Historic Environment Scotland. "KIRKTOWN OF BENHOLM, FORMER PARISH CHURCH INCLUDING GRAVEYARD, BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS AND GATES (Category A Listed Building) (LB2813)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  14. Historic Environment Scotland. "SANDWICK KIRK (ST. PETER'S) (Category A Listed Building) (LB19904)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  15. Tibbermore Church, Visit Scotland, retrieved 18 February 2011
  16. Historic Environment Scotland. "TIBBERMORE PARISH CHURCH (Category B Listed Building) (LB18297)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  17. Historic Environment Scotland. "KILDRUMMY PARISH CHURCH (Category A Listed Building) (LB9093)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  18. Historic Environment Scotland. "BRAEMAR VILLAGE, CASTLETON TERRACE, ST MARGARET'S CHURCH (SCOTTISH EPISCOPAL), GATE ARCH AND LAMP (Category A Listed Building) (LB6266)". Retrieved 15 March 2019.
  19. "St Margaret's Episcopal Church (Former), Castleton Terrace, Braemar". Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 30 October 2013.
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