The Church of Scotland has transferred ownership of an 800-year-old cathedral to a community group.
Brechin Cathedral has not been used as a place of worship for nearly five years. The congregation was dissolved in November 2021 after it became too small to be able to financially support the historic building.
Matters were likely not helped by the government’s decision earlier this year to end the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme (LPWGS). While Labour did introduce a successor to the LPWGS, it has a much lower budget and does not exempt historic churches from paying VAT on repairs as the LPWGS did.
At the time the change was announced the then Moderator of the Church of Scotland General Assembly, Rt Rev Rosie Frew, warned that the viability of some its buildings was threatened by the change.
Brechin Cathedral has now been taken over by Brechin Cathedral Trust which, according to the Church of Scotland, “is committed to ensuring the landmark building continues to be the beating heart of the community.”
Caroline Fife, chair of the Trustees of the Brechin Cathedral Trust, said, “We are delighted to be taking on this historic building on behalf of the community of Brechin and placing it back at the centre of life in the town.
“The cathedral is much loved by all residents and has been at the heart of family and civic celebrations for over 800 years.
Speaking on behalf of the Church of Scotland, Rev Dr Scott Rennie said that as a former minister at the cathedral “it gives me such hope that it will continue in the care of the Brechin Cathedral Trust, a group of people passionate about it and Brechin’s future”.
“On behalf of the national Church, it gives me great joy and personal satisfaction to see Brechin Cathedral Kirk begin a new chapter as a community-focused asset,” he said.
Others were not so enthusiastic about the Church of Scotland’s loss of such a historic asset.
Marcus Walker, co-founder of Save the Parish, merely tweeted, “They’re bragging about it!” followed by three angry face emojis.
