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Black Isle Kirk could turn into medieval visitor attraction

Dr Jim Mckay
Dr Jim Mckay

A picturesque old Black Isle kirk could be turned into a medieval centre and visitor attraction with the help of a new crowd funding scheme.

The Kirkmichael Trust is using the online funding platform – which asks for donations to viable projects in return for rewards – to help conserve the medieval buildings at Balblair and create a unique display of medieval gravestone art inside.

If successful, the project would help complete a heritage trail which could bring large economic benefits to the area.

Specifically, it would enable the area to capitalise on many of the summer cruise ship passengers who usually flock to other popular spots across the Highlands after docking at Invergordon.

One idea is to create a medieval heritage trail so that tourists can see Nigg Old Church before taking the ferry to Cromarty, visit Kirkmichael and finish with the Groam House Museum Pictish centre in Rosemarkie.

Kirkmichael contains several intricately carved stone crosses which were made for prestigious people buried there during the church’s Roman Catholic period. It is thought that the oldest of this artwork dates back to the 14th century.

The building itself was last used as a kirk about 200 years ago and has since been managed by local estate owners.

The Kirkmichael Trust has so far secured a remarkable £603,000 out of a total project cost of £706,000.

The money has come from the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland, Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

Now the trust is looking to close the cash gap through crowd funding website Sponsume, where browsers can see the benefits this project can bring to the area. Rewards for contributions will include books and inscribed 200-year-old slates from the kirk itself.

Trust chairman Dr Jim Mackay said: “We would like during the summer months visitors making use of the ferry from Nigg to Cromarty and creating a circular trail. It would be great. We would also like to include a site at Nigg Old Church as well as the Groam House Museum in Rosemarkie.

“Crowd funding for heritage projects is very new. The institutions such as the Heritage Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and the Highland Council have all been very helpful. But we are now looking to the generosity of the public to close that final funding gap. We’ve set a target of £50,000.”