Campaign to restore iconic Fife feature

The Friends of Kingsbarns Church, made up of church-goers and non-church-goers, has managed to raise £30,000 already through grants from local organisations, councils and charities towards fixing and restoring the spire, clock and the tower.

Organisations including the Kingsbarns Community Council, the golf club and the Kingsbarns Community Development Trust have helped cover a large portion of the substantial figure.

And the group has now planned a series of fundraisers and is setting up a JustGiving page in a bid to find the reminding sum.

It is organising a ceilidh, themed coffee mornings, a “giving day” and other events.

Individuals in the area have also offered sponsorships.

Paul Denholm, secretary for the Kingsbarns Parish Church and a member of the Friends, explained that the group, as well as organising fundraisers to cover the cost of the current restoration, has been set up with the intention of finding money for the future of the church.

He said: “We’re happy with what we’ve been able to do so far.

“We feel we’ve got enough interest to build something for the future.”

Mr Denholm said, following a survey of the building, which is almost 400 years old, in 2015, it was found the spire, clock and tower would need repairs.

The major costs are the scaffolding and the restoration of the clock faces, but there are also a number of smaller repairs that need making.

Mr Denholm described the situation as a “once every 75 years job” and added: “It’s something that needs to be done.

“When you go up the tower, you find there is woodwork that needs restored and the lightning conductor needs repaired and little things like that.”

Reverend . Anne Alison described the spire as a “beacon” for the village.

She added: “The church is an iconic feature in the town.

“It’s right in the centre and when you’re coming from St Andrews and you see the spire you know you’re almost home.

“It’s stood there for a couple of centuries and we want it to stand for a couple more.”