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Historic Inverness church to close following congregation vote

The Old High Church on the banks of the River Ness. Picture by Sandy McCook.

An Inverness church which is believed to be the oldest building in the city is to close.

The Old High Church, which takes its name from the fact that it was the highest building in the city for centuries, was built between 1770 and 1772.

In 2003, the church joined with St Stephen’s church to form one community.

However, earlier this year it was decided that it was no longer financially viable to maintain both church buildings.

Now the congregation has voted to keep St Stephen’s, meaning Old High Church will close – although one group of volunteers hope it can be preserved for historic reasons.

‘The home of Christianity in Inverness’

Friends of The Old High Church was set up in recent years to raise money for the upkeep of the building and to raise awareness about its important place in the city of Inverness.

Chairwoman Christina Cameron has been attending Old High Church since she moved to Inverness around 50 years ago, and admitted that although she understood the reasons for its closure it was “very sad” news.

“I know why they’re moving to one building, but I feel very sad given the history of the church,” she said.

“It’s the home of Christianity in Inverness, at one time it was about the only church in Inverness.”

The Old High Church on the banks of the River Ness. Picture by Sandy McCook.

Ms Cameron believes the church should be preserved, adding: “It’s full of history, I think it deserves to be kept. I would like to see a certain amount of worship kept there.”

The future of the church is currently unknown.

However, it has been assured that the move to one church building will mean that the community will benefit more from resources.

A Church of Scotland spokesman said: “This will ensure the best possible stewardship of our resources to support our mission work as we continue to serve the community in Inverness.

“We have advised the Presbytery of the result and will await further instructions from them regarding the future of the Old High building.”

History

While the church was built in the 1700s, it is believed that the lowest part of the west tower dates back to the 14th century.

Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Jacobite supporters imprisoned government soldiers in the tower in 1746.

During the Battle of Culloden, the Duke of Cumberland took over the church and executed Jacobite soldiers there.

An important site of worship in the city, it is where Saint Columba is thought to have converted Pictish King Brude to Christianity in 565 AD.

The church is also a popular landmark among Outlander fans, as it is featured in the popular books.