Group hope to restore Campsie High Kirk for community use

Almost 200 years after it was built, Campsie High Kirk is listed as at risk after a fire left it badly damaged, along with years of neglect.

But a group has recently been set up which aims to bring the building in Main Street, Lennoxtown, back to life.

And they are also hoping for some royal intervention to help their project.

Friends of Campsie High Kirk is a newly-established charity which aims to secure ownership of the building, preserve and restore it so it can be available for community use.

Following a public meeting last month, group chairperson Craig Brooks said the project is “gaining momentum and progressing rapidly”.

He added: “As well as considerable general public support, we’ve also received letters from notable organisations and individuals, including Rangers Football Club, Provost Gillian Renwick, Highland Spring, The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, The Black Watch, and East Dunbartonshire Council leader Gordon Low.

“Campsie High Kirk is a Grade I listed building of significant historical and architectural importance. It is currently listed as an at-risk property, necessitating urgent action to safeguard its future."

The Friends are delighted that their project has been chosen as a pilot initiative by the Kings and Lord Treasurer’s Remembrancer (KLTR) for their Ownerless Property Transfer Scheme (OPTS) which launched in March.

The new initiative from the KLTR is designed to encourage collaborative working between public bodies, local authorities and community groups to acquire ownerless property, known as “bona vacantia”, where it is in the public interest.

Mr Brooks said: “Our application for ownership of Campsie High Kirk was submitted to the KLTR on May 30 and will be assessed by the OPTS panel. We anticipate a decision by August at the latest.”

The group hope that they get the go ahead for the project as they believe the building has immense potential as a venue that can put Lennoxtown and Greater Campsie back on the map as a great place to go

Mr Brooks added: “We believe that the preservation and partial restoration of the building will not only attract visitors but also bring economic benefits to Lennoxtown and the broader Campsie area, transforming it from a thoroughfare into a destination.

“Our commitment to community empowerment and action drives our ambition to deliver something exceptional for the EDC community and aims to improve outcomes for all residents in Lennoxtown and the Greater Campsie area, in line with the spirit of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015.”

Councillor Gordan Low, leader of East Dunbartonshire Council, said: "Lennoxtown is one of the localities where East Dunbartonshire is adopting a place-based approach, seeking to work collaboratively with residents, organisations, and partners to address community need and reduce inequality. I would therefore welcome and encourage community-led projects that can contribute to that approach and make a positive difference to the local area.”

Campsie High Kirk was designed by architect David Hamilton and opened in 1828. However, in 1979 the decision was taken to merge the congregation with another local church and the buidling was was deemed surplus to requirements and sold in 1983.

Not long after it was badly damaged by fire and the spire was lost. An application to demolish it was rejected and it has lain empty ever since.

It is A-listed but due to its current condition, has been on the Scottish Buildings at Risk register since 1990.

In 2011 East Dunbartonshire Council noted the potential for the incorporation of the building into a heritage and information centre is being explored. By this stage, the clock mechanism had been restored and the building had floodlighting installed.

But now the Friends are hoping they can give Campsie High Kirk an even brighter future.