Historic Churchyards Project
The Historic Churchyards Project aims to conserve and promote important ruined churches and their churchyards in Perth and Kinross.
The project aims to carry out conservation work in up to forty historic churchyards in Eastern Perthshire over 2011-2013, and is supported by grants from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Gannochy Trust. The work will conform to Historic Scotland and Council standards and will be in co-operation with Perth and Kinross Council, which is contributing to the project. It is hoped to follow up the first phase with similar other projects covering the rest of Perth and Kinross Council Area.
At some sites, there is urgent work needed to consolidate and make safe the historic Church ruins and other structures. At Coupar Angus, for instance, works are proposed to the octagonal Watch House, built to guard the graves from the ‘body snatchers’. In the same churchyard, it is proposed to clear the Simprim Mausoleum of its cladding of ivy. Indeed vegetation removal is necessary in many churchyards to conserve stonework, and where appropriate, it may be possible to repair the eroded soil around headstones with a grass/wildflower seed mix or plants, as has been trialled at Meigle.
The carved headstones are a fascinating link to the people they commemorate, a unique window into the past. In Eastern Perthshire, there are cross slabs which are a legacy from the early Christian and Pictish past. The artistry of Pictish carving, with its striking depictions of animals, has an immediate and enduring appeal. Increasingly, from the 18th Century onwards, the burial sites of ordinary people, as opposed to the wealthy, were marked by carved stones. These often feature the tools of the trade of the person buried. It is a priority of the project to make safe the most special stones, ensuring their survival. An article about stone decay explains how the loss of detail is a natural process which can nonetheless be mitigated or even stopped where necessary.
There is scope to widen the project and for volunteers to help with the recording of grave inscriptions, family history and basic grounds and gardening work. An important part of the project is to draw people into churchyards to learn about these historic places. The Project Officer is keen to speak to different groups, from Kirk Sessions, to family history enthusiasts, to primary school children, and anyone interested in helping should contact: Fiona Fisher, Historic Churchyards Officer on 01738 477085 or email FCFisher@pkc.gov.uk
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