Storm repairs and conservation work on the historic St Kilda kirk begins

Work to weatherproof and preserve the St Kilda Kirk has begun as the 200th anniversary of the historic church approaches.

Extensive repairs to the roof and the replacement of gutters and rhones are required as part of a first phase of the work costing over £200,000.

St Kilda, an archipelago located on the main island of Hirta in the North Atlantic, faces gales approximately 75 days a year with peak winds of 144 mph.

The Trust is repairing the roof gutters and rhones as a first urgent phase of conservation. National Trust for Scotland

Specialist contractors have been working on the building over the summer, making the building more resilient to the effects of climate change while retaining its historic character.

With support from Historic Environment Scotland (HES) grant funding, the project is being managed by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which cares for St Kilda, the UK’s only dual UNESCO World Heritage site.

The first project phase has also been made possible through funders including the St Kilda Club, the NTS Foundation USA, the Noble Caledonia Charitable Trust, and McCorquodale Charitable Trust.

The St Kilda Kirk was constructed in 1827–28, but after the last islanders left St Kilda in 1930, it fell into disrepair until being restored by the NTS in the 1970s.

Extensive repairs to the roof are required to make the Kirk watertight and windtight. National Trust for Scotland

Clea Warner, Highlands & Islands regional director at the NTS, said: “The Kirk and School are a key focal point on St Kilda, offering a very evocative window into its social and cultural history in the 1800s and early 1900s.

“They’re an integral part of the archaeology of St Kilda and remain an important place of reflection for the islands’ visitors and people who work on St Kilda, surviving not just time and climate but other challenges such as a U-boat shelling in May 1918.

“With the Kirk watertight, we can then embark on raising funds to secure the second phase of conservation, which will focus on the interior of the Kirk, repairing timber and plasterwork, and refurbishing it to its former glory.”

Dr Susan O’Connor, head of grants at HES, added: “St Kilda has a distinctive story to tell in Scotland’s history, and these buildings are testament to a unique way of life.

“HES grant funding in this case is helping to conserve not only the tangible fabric of the Kirk and School buildings but also to safeguard the island’s invaluable cultural heritage, ensuring that its stories and significance continue to be shared with the world.”