Thomas Baldwin reports on an open day at a refurbished Fife church.
AUCHTERDERRAN Parish Church in Fife held a successful open day in April to show the community the results of its recent restoration.
The church, part of the united Auchterderran Kinglassie Parish, reopened in the spring following more than £250,000 worth of repairs to its roof, stonework, windows and a crypt in the churchyard.
The open day gave visitors a chance to explore the grounds, view a photo display and new information plaque, and buy copies of a new booklet on the history of the parish and church.
They were also visited by Nick Cooke from the Scottish Pilgrim Trust, as the church will be part of the Fife Pilgrim Way which is to be launched in the next couple of years.
The church’s 2013 quinquennial survey identified the church roof, stonework and eight stained glass windows as being in urgent need of repair; while a crypt in the churchyard was in such dangerous condition that it had to be restored or demolished.
After much discussion and deliberation it was decided to search for funding for the repairs, and the church successfully applied for £96,000 each from the Heritage Lottery Fund Places of Worship Grants and Historic Environment Scotland, along with £5000 each from the Baird Trust, the Ferguson Bequest and Scotland’s Churches Trust; and a further £48,000 from a separate Heritage Lottery Fund pot for the crypt. Infinis Wind Turbine fund granted £1,000 to cover the cost of an information plaque and plinth for the churchyard. Paul Higginson from ARC Architects of Cupar, managed the repairs, which were undertaken by Campbell and Smith Construction Group.
During the restoration, the congregation met in the church hall.
Completion of the project was delayed when woodworm was discovered; however the treatment forthat is now almost complete and the congregation, in vacancy but led by locum minister the Rev Tilly Wilson, can now plan their return to the building.
Auchterderran is part of the Fife village of Cardenden.
The church, a listed building, rests on a site which has had religious significance since the early 7th century, and was once used as a resting place by monks from Loch Leven on their road to the shores of the River Forth.
The original building of 1059 has disappeared, but the Kinninmonth family crypt at the rear was the original chancel. The present building was built in a T-shape in 1798, and enlarged in 1890. In 1931 the window from the 1059 chancel was placed into an extension to the north of the church. It united with Kinglassie in 2013.
During the project, links have been formed to the local history group and a youth group, and the congregation intends to build on those links, inviting local schools to visit its open days.
A 56-page booklet on the history and heritage of the parish and church has been produced and was launched at the open day on Saturday April 8.
The church will also be open to the public every Sunday after morning service and on Thursday afternoons over the summer.