Community acquisition of Rogart church would see vestry tribute to well-known local historian
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An East Sutherland community is planning a touching tribute to a well-known local historian, should a move to acquire a redundant parish church go ahead.
Rogart would like to see the vestry at St Callan’s Church turned into an archive in honour of local author and historian Dr John Macdonald of Little Rogart.
The plan was made public at a community meeting held at Pittentrail Hall on Monday to discuss the future of St Callan’s, which the Church of Scotland has indicated it no longer requires following a root and branch review of its property portfolio nationwide.
Christina Perera of Rogart Heritage Society told the meeting: “The vestry is not a huge room but it would be big enough to have a Dr John Macdonald Archive.
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“It would be fantastic to have it somewhere where everyone could gain access to it, although it would have to be under lock and key with a keysafe outside. We would not let people have free rein.”
Dr Macdonald (87) has collected information on the parish, its history, customs, culture and stories over 50 years. In 2019 he received an honorary fellowship from the University of the Highlands and Islands in recognition of his work in history, music and crofting politics to support community education and academic research.
He has mentored postgraduate students, showing how they can apply their theoretical knowledge to ‘on the ground’ evidence.
He is the author of “The Empty Stells: Shepherds and Sheep Farms of Sutherland” and “Looking Back From the Croft Gate”, and he also used to write a hugely popular monthly column for the Am Bratach magazine.
His daughter Elizabeth Allan spoke on his behalf at the meeting, saying: “We as a family love the idea, as it means it (the archive) will be preserved properly and everybody will have access to it.”
Rogart Community Council chairman Frank Roach, who is also treasurer of St Callan’s, updated those present on the current situation regarding the category B listed building.
He said the community’s interest in acquiring the church had been registered, and the Church of Scotland had indicated it would give “exclusivity” to a heritage body or a properly constituted group, rather than put the building on the open market.
“We don’t want to hang about. We want to strike while the iron is hot – go back to the Church and say we are in the process of setting up a constituted group and we are the preferred bidder,” he said.
Mr Roach estimated the asking price for the church would be under £50,000. The building is surrounded by a graveyard which is in the ownership of the Highland Council.
He added that the property was not expensive to run and that the St Callan’s congregation had substantial financial assets, amounting to around £300,000 derived from the sale of two manses, and a £60,000 bequest.
Mr Roach said it was hoped the Church of Scotland would not subsume the funding into central coffers, but leave it with St Callan’s.
But he said he felt that wind farm funding could be accessed if needed after the building was deconsecrated.
Some of those at the meeting felt that the Church of Scotland should hand over the building free and gratis to the community, given the amount of local fundraising that had been undertaken in the past to maintain it.
It was also felt that the bequest which formed part of the funds available had been donated specifically for the upkeep of St Callans.
The 37 local people who attended the meeting were supportive of a bid to acquire the church on behalf of the community and agreed that a steering group should be set up to work towards forming a constituted group to negotiate with the Church of Scotland.
