1 week Ago By [email protected] (Val Sweeney)
The sale of a historic Inverness building still has to be concluded 10 months after it was agreed. An offer for the Old High Church - the city’s oldest building - was accepted by the Church of Scotland in November after it was placed on the market for offers of over £150k. But the negotiations are still ongoing over the building which remains empty and unused.
Further concerns have arisen over one of the panels on the north face of the clock which is now missing, leaving an open gap into the tower. • • • The A-listed church, which occupies a prominent position overlooking the River Ness, has important links with the Battle of Culloden, Highland regiments and the globally popular historic drama series, Outlander. The building dates from 1769/1772 with a late 16th century tower with lower structure dating from 14th century.
It houses the city (old burgh) clock and curfew bell. The church hosted its final service last year after it was judged to be no longer financially viable to operate and placed on the market by the Church of Scotland which described it as a once-in-a-lifetime purchase opportunity for the right buyer. Although in a bid to give the ancient building a new life as a multi-purpose venue while respecting its background as a place of worship, an offer from a mystery buyer was accepted in November.
But with the sale yet to be concluded, concerns are growing about its possible deterioration. Chris Lewcock, who has been acting as planning adviser to the Friends, recently noticed a panel on the north face of the clock has gone and pigeons are flying in and out. He had tried to discover whether the church or Inverness Common Good Fund owned the clock.
“This seems to leave the clock in a rather unsatisfactory limbo, whilst it - and presumably the fabric of the tower - deteriorates further,” said Mr Lewcock who has also inquired whether more definite action can be taken protect the clock and the rest of the building. Thomas Prag, a member of the Friends group, said another tourist season had gone by during which a lot of tourist traffic had gone up and down Church Street due in part to the popularity of Leakey’s bookshop. “It the church was open and welcoming, it would do quite well,” he said.
“But the doors are shut. “It will just deteriorate quietly and this is a crying shame. “It is arguably the most important building historically in Inverness.
“It has played a part in Inverness’s history from a very long time ago.” A Highland Council spokesman said: "The council does not hold an interest in the Old High Church, and this includes the steeple clock. "During the time the building was used as a church, the Inverness Common Good Fund did provide occasional support to the operation of the steeple clock as it was seen as a civic asset.
"Following the decision of the Church of Scotland to cease the use of the building as a church, clarification was sought on the status of the steeple clock which led to a determination that the clock and the steeple were the property of the Church of Scotland." A Church of Scotland spokesman said: "Negotiations are still under way regarding the sale of the Old High Church with the prospective buyer. “We are unable to comment further because of confidentiality issues.
" The spokesman added that they had been made aware of the issue regarding the clock and it has been reported to the General Trustees, the property holding arm of the Church of Scotland..
