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Conservation Resources

We hope that you may find these resources helpful and interesting. 

Using these resources?

If you use these resources we would be grateful if you would email sacredlandscapes@st-andrews.ac.uk and give us your name and organisation.

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Architecture & Conservation

Architectural Heritage Fund: Scotland’s Churches: A Scaling Problem: https://ahfund.org.uk/news/blog/scotlands-churches-a-scaling-problem/

Architects Accredited in Building Conservation: https://www.aabc-register.co.uk/

Owen, O, ed, HEACS Report with Recommendations on the Long-Term Conservation of the Ecclesiastical Heritage in a Time of Demographic Change (Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland, Edinburgh, 2009): ecclesiastical.pdf (hrballiance.org.uk)

Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Building Conservation Accreditation): https://www.rics.org/surveyor-careers/career-development/accreditations/building-conservation-accreditation

The Institute of Conservation (Conservation Register): https://www.icon.org.uk/resource/conservation-register.html

The Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (Accreditation in Conservation Architecture): https://rias.org.uk/for-architects/conservation-accreditation

Community

Community Ownership Support Service: Your Church, Your Community: https://dtascommunityownership.org.uk/sites/default/files/DTA%20Scotland%20Your%20Church%20Your%20Community%20Guidance.pdf

National Council for Voluntary Organisations: Closing your charity: https://www.ncvo.org.uk/help-and-guidance/closing-your-charity/

Stewarding Loss: https://www.stewardingloss.com/

Contents & Interiors

Church Monuments Society: https://churchmonumentssociety.org/

Church Recording Society: https://www.churchrecordingsociety.org.uk/

Corpus Vitrearum Medii Aevi (Mediaeval Stained Glass in Great Britain): https://www.cvma.ac.uk/

“Historic restoration of 19th century organ” in Ecclesiastical Heritage World: https://ecclesiasticalandheritageworld.co.uk/news/1392-historic-restoration-of-19th-century-organ

“How Scotland’s church organs are on the brink of being lost forever” by Sandra Dick in The Herald: https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24154220.scotlands-church-organs-brink-lost-forever/

Sowne of Organe: Historic Organs of Scotland: https://sowneoforgane.com/

The Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture: https://www.ascorpus.ac.uk/index.php

The Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain & Ireland: https://www.crsbi.ac.uk/

Ecclesiastical & Theological

Church of Scotland: Disposal of Redundant Churches https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/3020/disposal_redundant_churches.pdf

Church of Scotland: Legacies of Slavery: https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/about-us/equality-diversity-and-inclusion-group/legacies-of-slavery

Church of Scotland Ordinal & Service Book (including Closure of a Church Building)

Learning from Loss: Reflections on Futures for Fife’s Former Churches

Methodist Church in Scotland: Updated Guidance on Closed Churches: https://methodistchurchinscotland.net/2023/11/updated-guidance-on-closed-church-buildings/

‘No congregation, no church’: How Scotland Lost the Faith, John Lloyd (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/a690a5b6-7c4a-4501-9974-a7502327b5c8

Places of Worship Forum: https://www.befs.org.uk/policy-topics/places-of-worship-forum/

Presbytery of Fife (Church of Scotland): Historic Churches Working Group Report

Sacred Landscapes of Fife Project: https://sacredlandscapes.org/

Stewarding Loss: https://www.stewardingloss.com/

Funding

Architectural Heritage Fund: Scotland’s Churches: A Scaling Problem: https://ahfund.org.uk/news/blog/scotlands-churches-a-scaling-problem/

Benefact Trust: https://benefacttrust.co.uk/

Ecclesiastical: Fundraising: https://www.ecclesiastical.com/church/fundraising/funds/

National Churches Trust: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/support-organisations/scottish-redundant-churches-trust

National Churches Trust: Large Grants: https://www.nationalchurchestrust.org/get-support/grants/large-grants

National Lottery Community Fund: https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/

Pilgrim Trust: Grants: https://www.thepilgrimtrust.org.uk/preservation-and-conservation-grants/places-of-worship/

Heritage & History

Canmore: National Record of the Historic Environment: https://canmore.org.uk/

Canmore: National Record of the Historic Environment (Contributions): https://canmore.org.uk/contributions

Dove, Giles W, “Saints, Cults & Dedications in Mediaeval Fife”, University of St Andrews MPhil Thesis, 1988: https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/96709406.pdf 

Fife Council: Built & Natural Heritage: https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/planning-and-building2/built-and-natural-heritage

Fife Historic Buildings Trust: https://fifehistoricbuildings.org.uk/

Fife Historic Buildings Trust: Churches Viability Report

Future for Religious Heritage Conference September 2024 – Religious Heritage in Transition: Challenges & Solutions: https://www.frh-europe.org/events/conferences/frh-conference-2024-religious-heritage-in-transition-challenges-and-solutio

Future for Religious Heritage Survey of Attitudes to Religious Heritage: https://www.frh-europe.org/european-citizens-support-religious-heritage-81-of-europeans-believe-that-religious-heritage-is-key-for-the-present-and-future-of-their-community/

Haynes N, HEACS Research Report on the Extent of the Ecclesiastical Heritage in Scotland (Historic Environment Advisory Council for Scotland,2008):https://www.frh-europe.org/cms/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2008-Ecclesiastical-Heritage-of-Scotland-Haynes.pdf

Heritage Trust Network: A Future for Your Church: https://heritagetrustnetwork.org.uk/a-future-for-your-church/

Historic Churches Scotland: https://historicchurches.scot/

Historic Environment Scotland: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/

Historic Environment Scotland: Places for Prayer: New Life & Changing Spaces https://www.historicenvironment.scot/archives-and-research/online-exhibitions/places-for-prayer/new-life-and-changing-spaces/

Historic Religious Buildings Alliance: https://www.hrballiance.org.uk/

Learning from Loss: Reflections on Futures for Fife’s Former Churches

‘No congregation, no church’: How Scotland Lost the Faith, John Lloyd (Financial Times): https://www.ft.com/content/a690a5b6-7c4a-4501-9974-a7502327b5c8

Sacred Landscapes of Fife Project: https://sacredlandscapes.org/

Scotland’s Churches Trust: https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/

Scotland’s Churches Trust (Recording Scotland’s Closing Churches): https://www.scotlandschurchestrust.org.uk/blog/recording-scotlands-closing-churches/

Scottish Church History Society: https://www.scottishchurchhistory.org/

Scottish Pilgrim Routes Forum: https://www.sprf.org.uk/

Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings (Scotland’s Churches: History of Closure): https://www.spab.org.uk/whats-on/lectures/scotlands-churches-history-closure-0

Society of Antiquaries of Scotland: Scottish Archaeological Research Framework: https://www.socantscot.org/research-projects/scarf/

The Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Stone Sculpture: https://www.ascorpus.ac.uk/index.php

The Corpus of Romanesque Sculpture in Britain & Ireland: https://www.crsbi.ac.uk/

Resource to suggest?

If you have suggestions for resources which could be added to the list, please let us know at sacredlandscapes@st-andrews.ac.uk