'Work with us': Community plea to Church of Scotland over Melness Church
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Melness Crofters' Estate is signalling its opposition to any potential sale of its parish church.
The move is in advance of a review of church buildings set to take place nationally as part of an extensive cost-cutting exercise by the Church of Scotland.
Members of Melness Crofters' Estate attended a meeting of Sutherland presbytery in Lairg on Tuesday to make their feelings known.
Dorothy Pritchard, MCE chairperson, handed over a letter outlining the case for the retention of Melness Church to presbytery officials for forwarding on to church leaders in Edinburgh.
A major argument put forward by MCE is that the legal situation regarding land ownership could be a barrier to the sale of the church.
Research in the records of the Crofters Commission and the General Register of Sasines – the oldest national public land register in the world – appears to indicate that, while the church owns the building, it does not own the ground the building stands on. The land was never decrofted and therefore still belongs to MCE.
The estate is also pointing out the deep emotional attachment the community has with the building – the stained glass windows were all donated by people with Melness connections. A path and fencing has also been installed thanks to the work of local people.
After the meeting Ms Pritchard said: “It was a very amicable meeting. We don’t want to fight - we want them to listen. The presbytery are only delivering what the Church of Scotland has asked of them.
“But it is our church and we should have a say in how it goes forward and we don’t want the church sold to a developer to make a quick buck.”
It is understood a delegation from the central belt will visit Sutherland next summer to assess all the county’s church buildings as part of a radical shake-up which will also see parishes combined and ministerial posts reduced.
Ms Pritchard said she hoped the delegation would engage with local people and listen to their proposals.
A steering committee has already been formed in Melness to come up with ideas as to what future uses the church could be put to.
“We want it to be a multi-faith building with anyone who wants to hold a religious service there being able to do so,” said Ms Pritchard.
One of the committee’s ideas is a possible link with Strathnaver Museum in Bettyhill in order to provide “satellite” exhibition space and showcase some of the museum’s exhibits in the church during the summer. It is felt this could provide an added attraction for visitors.
“We want the church to work with us and not ride roughshod over us,” said Ms Pritchard.
