Historic Churches Scotland facts for kids
Historic Churches Scotland is a special charity that looks after old churches in Scotland. These churches are very important because of their history or beautiful design, but they are no longer used for regular church services. The charity was started in 1996 and used to be called the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust.
This group works hard to keep these historic buildings safe and in good condition. They also create projects to help people learn more about these amazing churches and enjoy them. Many of the churches are used for community events, art shows, and educational activities. They can still be used for occasional church services too.
Historic Churches Scotland takes care of seven churches across Scotland. These include St Peter's Church in Sandwick, Orkney (acquired in 1998), Cromarty East Church in Ross-shire (acquired in 1998), Pettinain Church in Lanarkshire (acquired in 2000), Tibbermore Church in Perthshire (acquired in 2001), Benholm Kirk in Kincardineshire (acquired in 2006), Kildrummy Kirk (acquired in 2009), and St Margaret's Church in Braemar (acquired in 2013). The charity changed its name to Historic Churches Scotland in January 2019.
Understanding Church Categories
Churches in Scotland are given different categories based on their importance. This helps people understand how special each building is.
| Category | What it Means |
|---|---|
| A | These are buildings that are super important for Scotland or even the whole world. They might have amazing architecture or a very long history. They are often fine examples of a certain time period or building style. |
| B | These buildings are important for their local area or region. They are also great examples of a certain time period or style, even if they have been changed a little over the years. |
| C | These buildings are important to their local community. They might be simpler examples of a style or period, or traditional buildings that look good with other important churches nearby. |
Churches Cared for by Historic Churches Scotland
Here is a list of the churches that Historic Churches Scotland looks after. Each one has its own unique story!
| Name | Location | Image | Date | About the Church | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cromarty East Church | Cromarty, Ross-shire 57°40′49″N 4°01′55″W / 57.680288°N 4.031965°W |
 |
18th century | This church was originally built in the late 1500s, but most of what you see today is from the 1700s. An extra part was added in 1739, making it a T-shaped church. More changes happened in 1756 and 1798. The inside of the church also dates from the 1700s, with several balconies added later. The charity took over this church in 1996. It was restored after being featured on a TV show called Restoration Village. In 2007, it received a big grant of £1.3 million for its restoration. | A |
| Pettinain Church | Pettinain, Lanarkshire 55°39′53″N 3°39′46″W / 55.664729°N 3.66279°W |
 |
18th century | This church is in the countryside and has lovely views over Lanarkshire. People have worshipped here since the early 1100s. The church you see now is mostly from the 1700s, but it includes an older bell tower from 1692. There's an old grave stone with a sword and scissors carved on it, which is now used as a stone above a window. The church is surrounded by a walled graveyard. The charity took ownership of it in 2000, with help from local people. | B |
| St Marnoch's Church | Benholm, Aberdeenshire 56°48′52″N 2°19′19″W / 56.8144°N 2.3220°W |
 |
19th century | This country church looks simple from the outside, but it's very special inside. It was built in 1832. It has a special stone cabinet from the 1400s and important monuments from the 1600s. These came from an even older church from the 1200s. The church has a rectangular shape with large windows and a bell tower. Inside, there's a monument from 1620 to Lady Mary Keith, which has interesting carvings. There's also a beautiful white marble monument from 1690. The church was no longer used for services in 2003, and the charity bought it in 2006 with local support. | A |
| St Peter's Church | Sandwick, Orkney 59°03′30″N 3°20′14″W / 59.058269°N 3.337294°W |
 |
19th century | This church was built in 1836 and is located in an open area near the Bay of Skaill. The inside of the church still looks like it did in the 1800s, when over 500 people would attend services. The charity took over the church in 1998 and restored it between 2002 and 2003. This was the first big restoration project for the charity. The building was at risk of falling apart, but it was saved with £250,000 in grants. The restoration even won an award in 2003! | A |
| Tibbermore Church | Tibbermore, Perthshire 56°23′42″N 3°32′20″W / 56.395096°N 3.538963°W |
 |
17th century | The current church building dates from 1632, but people have worshipped here since the Middle Ages. The church was made bigger in 1789 and changed into a T-shape in 1808. The bell tower was also rebuilt around this time, with the date 1808 carved on it. The inside of the church was updated in 1874 and hasn't changed much since then. The graveyard has interesting memorials, including one for a curler named James Ritchie, showing his curling equipment. The church was given to the charity in 2001. | B |
| Kildrummy Kirk | Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire 57°14′42″N 2°52′36″W / 57.245136°N 2.876556°W |
 |
19th century | This church was built in 1805 and stands in the open countryside. It's a well-known landmark on the road from Huntly to Banchory. Next to it are the remains of an older medieval church. The church is almost square, with a rounded section for the stairs and entrance. It has a beautiful roof and a square bell tower with a ball on top. Two large Gothic windows on the east wall let in lots of light. The pulpit is between these windows, surrounded by wooden pews and a horseshoe-shaped balcony. The furniture likely dates from the mid-1800s. | A |
| St Margaret's Church | Braemar, Aberdeenshire 57°00′21″N 3°23′50″W / 57.0057°N 3.3971°W |
 |
20th century | This church was designed by Sir Ninian Comper and finished in 1907. Experts describe it as a "remarkable example" of a late Gothic Revival church. It's special because it hasn't been changed much since it was built. It was mostly built for English tourists who spent their summers in "Royal Deeside". It cost £8,000 to build. Regular church services stopped in 1997. In 2003, the church was put on a list of buildings at risk. In 2013, the church was transferred to the charity for just £1. The charity plans to fix up the building and use it as a place for arts, performances, and a new fiddle school. | A |
