Research in Action on Church Heritage

www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/saving-loc...

Community effort underway at Loch Insh Old Kirk in Kincraig 👇
A local charity has launched a Foundations Fund to cover legal costs ahead of purchasing the church. They’re aiming to raise £10,000 for the next steps - if you’d like to support then take a look at their crowdfunder!

@socantscot.bsky.social @scotchurchestrust.bsky.social @heritagefunduk.bsky.social

Written by our own @lizzieswarbrick.bsky.social and @perthmuseum.bsky.social Mark Hall

It’s story reveals why recording and protecting Scotland’s church heritage matters now more than ever.
Read here:
churchheritage.scot/2026/02/18/h...
#ChurchHeritage #ScottishHistory #Perth

Derailed shot of Virgin Mary

Crafted in Flanders around 1500, the chandelier’s twelve candle arms radiate from a central figure of the Virgin and Child set within a blazing sunburst - a powerful statement of late medieval devotion that somehow endured the iconoclasm of 1559.

4 gold brackets on white background

Chandelier hanging in front of stained glass and arch

Detailed image of bracket with markings on white background

New Heritage Spotlight ✨

The late 15th-century chandelier in St John’s, Perth survived the Reformation - and turns out to be a fascinating composite reconstruction

We’re so excited for our Open Day at Whitekirk TODAY! Please do join for music, tours and a chance to share your memories of the church!

A HUGE thank you to all of the wonderful church recording volunteers who came along today to help us document the absolutely stunning Whitekirk Church in East Lothian, as part of two days of heritage activities organised by @churchheritage.bsky.social and the Whitekirk Church New Life Trust.

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It's a @churchheritage.bsky.social open day at Whitekirk Church in East Lothian today.

Come along and find out more about the remarkable history of this amazing building and its connections to a medieval pope, Oliver Cromwell and the Suffragettes.
www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/wp-content/u...

Close up details of stonework carved tomb

Carved stonework, a medieval tomb and a lofty clerestory - all details from the same place. These close-ups hint at centuries of craftsmanship, memory and change. Recognise it? 
 
Drop your guesses below - we’ll share the answer shortly 👇

Close up details of stonework carvings

Stonework, windows, and material clues often tell us a lot about a building’s history. What do you notice here?

Close up details of stone carving

Name that church 👀 
We’re starting a new monthly series sharing close-up details from churches across Scotland. Any guesses where this one is?

We’re looking forward to spending time at St Mary’s Whitekirk this week, recording the church heritage and hearing local stories

We've got two fabulous and FREE heritage days coming up this week.

Both are kindly hosted by the new owners of the historic St Mary's Church in Whitekirk in East Lothian, as part of our @churchheritage.bsky.social collaborative project with our colleagues at @socantscot.bsky.social.

(Read on 🧵1/4)

@socantscot.bsky.social @scotchurchestrust.bsky.social

Participants sat around the table smiling at camera

Thanks to everyone who joined last week’s Heritage Action group discussion. We had thoughtful conversations around data, sharing datasets and recording church heritage and social value - and we really value the input shared.

Want to be involved? email churches@socantscot.org 👈

Want to keep up to date with the ReACH project?

We send quarterly updates on ReACH’s work recording church heritage and social value, including progress on our project database and events.

Sign up here: socantscot.us3.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=...

I should also mention that it’s me giving the guided tours! I’m excited to show everyone this beaut of a building.

There’ll be opportunities to share memories or reflections, or simply spend time in the building.
📍 St Mary’s Church, Whitekirk
⏰7 February 2026 11am - 3pm
❄️ Dress warmly - the church is unheated
👉 Details: churchheritage.scot/2026/01/14/e...

You don’t need to have a prior connection to the church - this day is also for anyone curious to step inside St Mary’s, learn about its history, or find out how church heritage is recorded.

There’ll be opportunities to share memories or reflections, or simply spend time in the building. We hope to capture what this church means to the local community through oral histories, a memory box and participatory mapping

Flyer with details of the open day

We’re hosting a drop-in Open Day at St Mary’s Church, Whitekirk on 7 Feb (11am–3pm).

Come explore the church, enjoy organ music, and join a short guided tour

@socantscot.bsky.social @scotchurchestrust.bsky.social @heritagefunduk.bsky.social

@scotchurchestrust.bsky.social @socantscot.bsky.social

With support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund, ReACH is working to record and understand both the material and social heritage of churches across Scotland - so their significance isn’t lost at moments of change.

Church heritage isn’t just about architecture. It’s also about interiors, fittings and objects, music and memory, local histories and personal stories. From memorials and stained glass to the pews.

Understanding this richness matters, especially as many churches face closure or transition.

Today is #HeritageTreasures Day, led by @heritagefunduk.bsky.social - a chance to celebrate the places, objects and stories that matter most to people.
For ReACH, churches are some of Scotland’s most complex heritage treasures, layered, lived-in places shaped by centuries of use and change.

Scotland's Churches Trust Church Recording More information on Scotland's Churches Trust award-winning church recording methodology for volunteers to rapidly document church contents

You can read more about our rapid church recording project here 👇 www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/church-recor...

And do follow @churchheritage.bsky.social to learn more about our collaborative project with @socantscot.bsky.social evaluating Scottish religious heritage and its social value.

Covenanting banners don’t often survive, and when they do they’re usually fragile and difficult to display. Recording them helps make sure they’re part of the story we tell about Scotland’s church heritage.

Written by Dr Georgia Vullinghs, the post looks at how these banners were made and used, what survives today, and what they can tell us about faith, protest, and material culture.