A volunteer group hoping to preserve the Old High Church in Inverness has unveiled a wish list of its plans for the historic building.
The Friends of the Old High Church group hopes it will find a new lease of life as a performance, exhibition and community facility.
It has published a booklet outlining its ideas.
Among the plans are a 400-seat auditorium, café, shop and an interactive family history facility.
A survey has been launched to get views on the landmark’s future use, alongside a Crowdfunder appeal to buy the property and preserve its historical importance.
‘We have to protect this in whichever way we can’
Jean Slater, secretary of the Friends group, said it is vital that they have the backing of the people of Inverness.
It is hoped that unveiling the plans will help the fundraising drive.
Jean said: “Hopefully people can come on board and say ‘yes, this is what we want for Inverness’.
“Everybody says we are losing so much of our heritage to hotels, bars and that sort of thing. I know Inverness needs that, but it needs its culture as well.
“We feel very strongly that we have to protect this in whichever way we can.”
The church held its last regular service in January 2022 and formally closed as a place of worship in March last year.
The building, which has links to the time of St Columba, was later put on the market for offers over £150,000.
The Friends group announced last year it was planning making a bid for the church.
It says it will work with Highland Council, Historic Environment Scotland and archaeologists to conserve the building to ensure it has a living future.
The Crowdfunder has raised around £8,000 thus far – which is still well below its target.
But the group is trying to set up a dialogue with the Church of Scotland to see if there is anything it can do to help.
The Friends are also planning to open a stall in the Victorian Market on May 20.
Visitors to the stall can hear about what they’re hoping to achieve.
What is the group’s vision for the Old High Church?
It wants to create a sanctuary in the vestry to welcome pilgrims on the St Columba Trail. This will also contain memorials to past and present parishioners.
It will highlight the Old High’s central role in the civic life of Inverness and its links to the Cameron Highlanders.
The family history facility will be centred on Andrew Paterson’s photographic archive and the work of the Inverness Local History Forum.
With Inverness Bid, the Friends intend creating a display and small meeting space related to the commerce arts and history of Inverness.
Jean added: “This is our vision to keep the Old High’s historic importance to Inverness and the wider Highlands.
“We want to make it accessible to everybody. A multi-use building that people can enjoy.
“But people might have different ideas. And so we’re saying to the people of Inverness ‘this is what we think, what are your ideas?'”
The road to the Old High’s closure
The Old High’s fate was sealed in 2021.
Its congregation voted 179-71 to close the building and retain the joint charge of St Stephen’s.
It was not viable to keep both.
The joint kirk session and Inverness Presbytery also voted to shut the Old High.
The decision was then passed to the Kirk’s General Trustees, who own the building.
Under charity law, the general trustees and the Kirk Session have a duty to attempt to obtain best value for any building which they sell.
St Michael’s Mount, where the church stands, is where St Columba reputedly brought Christianity to the Highlands in 565 AD.
The current building dates from 1772 and is one of the oldest buildings in the city.
It is popular with tourists, forming part of a historic trail including Inverness Castle, the Town House, the Steeple and Abertarff House.
It has become a place of pilgrimage for many fans of the Outlander books and TV series.
The building holds artefacts from the local regiment, The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.
This includes the regimental colours and memorial books naming the soldiers who fell during conflicts.
Many of the men were Old High Church members and are listed on the war memorial on the outside wall.
The church was the regimental chapel and the grounds are a designated Commonwealth War Grave.
The building also houses a Victorian ‘Father’ Henry Willis organ, which underwent a £200,000 reconstruction 20 years ago.
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