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Members of Lamlash Improvements are calling on Arran residents to rally around in a bid to save St Bride’s Chapel in Lamlash.
The ancient chapel is situated in original part of the Lamlash graveyard. It is a substantial stone building partially covered in thick ivy.
The inside of the building is overgrown with weeds and large shrubs the roots of which are affecting the safety of the ancient building.
A pre-reformation chapel was situated on the site for hundreds of years and the present building dates from around 1603.
Hundreds of gravestones scattered around the building suggest that it has been a site of religious worship for many more years before that.
Etchings of the building from the 1830s show that the building has been derelict and covered in ivy for nearly 200 years.
Carol Mitchell secretary of Lamlash Improvements explained what they are hoping to do.
She said: ‘The building needs urgent preservation work to be carried out now. The ivy needs to be carefully removed to stop it from doing any more damage to the chapel walls.
‘The memorial stones that are inside the building and attached to its walls need to be protected so that the inscriptions do not weather away any more.’
David MacColl, cemeteries manager for North Ayrshire Council, said: ‘The council is very happy to be involved in this project and we are looking forward to working with the Lamlash residents.
‘Unfortunately we are only able to undertake the initial work to the building. We will remove the ivy that is shaking the building and stabilise the chapel to make it safe but with only £13,000 that’s really all we can do.
‘It’s up to the people of Arran to get behind this project and get involved.’
Sarah McKinnon, chief executive of the Strathclyde Building Preservation Trust said: ‘We can only do the first part. The rest is up to the people of Arran.
‘Generations of islanders are buried in the cemetery and their resting place must be preserved.
We will do all we can to guide you through the legislation, funding and contractors.
‘This is a beautiful building embedded into the island’s heritage. It would be so sad to see it lost for future generations.’
Lamlash Improvements want volunteers from across the island to help them move onto the next stage of preservation.
Carol Mitchell said: ‘Lamlash Improvements have taken this as far as we can. We need to gather an eager group of volunteers together who want to help us to save this extremely important building.’
Meanwhile the future of another of Arran’s oldest buildings is under consideration due to concerns for its safety.
The Old Clachan Church in Shiskine is a substantial stone building, albeit without a roof.
Shiskine Valley Trust is waiting on guidance from experts on how best to protect the building. Neil Arthur, a director of the trust, said: ‘We are taking advice from various heritage groups as to how this building can be preserved. Once this consultation reaches a decision we will know how best to progress.’
Shiskine residents Jack Murchie and George Bannatyne said the Old Clachan Church is possibly the oldest building on the island (built in 1708 and rebuilt a century later) and its stones have been used for previous churches with strong links to St Molios.
‘The site as a religious centre possibly predates Brodick Castle.’
Mr Murchie added: ‘We feel that the church is an important part of the island’s heritage. It represents all that has gone before it on that site, and that we should be endeavouring to retain as much of it as possible.
‘You can only knock down a building like this once. We believe much of it can be preserved.
‘You can take parts of it down at a future date if it becomes dangerous.
‘A crack in the gable end has been pointed, and you can see that the building has moved just an inch in more than 100 years when it ceased to be used in 1887.
Mr Bannatyne said: ‘I believe that I do not use the words too strongly when I say that it would be a tragedy for the island if this church were to be allowed to be further reduced.’
