Historic Abbey Celebrates 800th Anniversary

Wednesday March 22 2017

^{Picture by Kim Traynor, Creative Commons Licence}

The historic Culross Abbey in Fife kicked off a year of 800^th anniversary celebrations with a schools’ concert last week.

The Abbey was founded in 1217 by Malcolm, the 7^th Earl of Fife. Over the next few centuries the western section of the Abbey fell into disrepair but, in 1633, the eastern section became the local parish church of the Church of Scotland and is still in use today.

A small local group led by church elder John Laird, assisted by two elders from the Abbey Church of Dunfermline, Brian Blanchflower and Frances McCafferty, is organising a series of celebratory events during the year.

The opening event on March 15 involved over 130 pupils from three local primary schools and two high schools. A packed out church enjoyed solo, group and choir performances, together with instrumentals on piano, saxophone, trombone and hand bells. The Rev Alec Shuttleworth, minister of Kincardine and Tullialan, hosted the evening.

Several other events are planned for later in the year, including a pilgrimage on May 20, a concert by Dunfermline Choral Union and Junior Chorus on June 14, the Heart and Soul Swing Band on September 23, and a service led by the Moderator of the General Assembly on September 24.

All events are open to everyone and are free, although donations to the Church of Scotland HIV/AIDs Programme and to SCART (Support Culross Abbey Regeneration Trust) will be gratefully accepted.

Post Tags: culross abbey

Comments

Culross abbey John laird - Thursday, March 23rd, 2017

“I was at that first concert. The abbey rang with joy and the sound of everyone enjoying themselves.”

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