Inverness Presbytery service to formally close Old High Church marking the end of centuries of worship in A-listed building by River Ness
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Church members will be joined tomorrow by civic leaders and Army veterans for the final service at a historic Inverness church.
The formal closure service at the A-listed Old High Church is set to be a poignant occasion, marking the end of centuries of worship in the building.
The decision to close its doors follows a vote by members after the Church of Scotland said it was not financially viable to maintain both the Old High and the B-listed St Stephen’s in Crown.
The service, which starts at 7pm, will give thanks for the use of the property on the banks of the River Ness as a church.
Presbytery moderator, Issy Freudenthal, will lead the service. Interim moderator, Rev Scott Polwarth, will preach and a reading will be given by former elder, Ross Martin.
The Old High has a long association with the Cameron and Queen’s Own Highlanders and veterans are expected to attend along with representatives from Highland Council and the local community.
Vote to close the building
A union was formed between Old High Church and St Stephen's Church in 2003 and the Kirk Session had to decide which building they wanted to keep because it was not missionally and financially viable to maintain two places of worship so close together.
The Kirk Session arranged a congregational vote last September and members voted to close the Old High building by 179 votes to 71.
The last public service of worship was held on January 30 and led by locum minister, Rev James Bissett.
The disposal of the building is now with the general trustees, the property holding arm of the Church of Scotland, who along with the church’s law department will work with the Old High St Stephen's Kirk Session in this regard.
'Painful to close a church building'
Inverness presbytery clerk, Rev Trevor Hunt, said: "It is always painful to close a church building but the Kirk Session of the charge decided that they would go in this direction and took the matter to the congregation who voted.
"A clear majority were in favour of closing the church, the decision was brought to the presbytery which approved the closure and the General Trustees raised no objection."
Discussions are ongoing around the future of the organ and military memorabilia inside the church.
Old High is not a 'Burgh Church' and so the local authority is not responsible for the clock in the tower and neither does it have a right of pre-emption.
The Church of Scotland said the general trustees were always happy to explore ways in which church buildings of a historical nature might have a life beyond ecclesiastical use and this included entering into discussions with community bodies and heritage organisations.
Under charity law, the trustees and the Kirk Session have a duty to attempt to obtain best value for any building which they sell.
The Old High hosts the annual Kirking of the Council service, a tradition dating back more than 400 years which enables the Kirk to bless the work of elected members and officials and for Highland Council to recognise the contribution of the Christian community to Inverness.
Inverness Presbytery hopes that the service can be moved to another Church of Scotland building in the city.
The church stands on St Michael’s Mound where St Columba reputedly converted the Pictish King Brude to Christianity in 565.
The present church was built between 1770 and 1772 but the lowest part of the west tower dates back to the 14th century, making it the city’s oldest building structure.
It was requisitioned by government forces to house Jacobite prisoners captured at the Battle of Culloden and those condemned to death were shot in the churchyard.
Tears as last regular service takes place at historic Old High Church
