Time capsule found in rubble of landmark church following ‘deliberate’ fire

A time capsule has been found in the rubble of an “iconic” 1960s church which was razed by a deliberate fire.

St Mungo’s Church in Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire, was designed by Brutalist architect Alan Reiach at a time the new town was becoming internationally renowned for post-war design.

The church was a modernist building with an unusual pyramid-shaped roof, to let light in, and was B-listed due to its historic significance.

However, on August 2, St Mungo’s Church was deliberately set alight just before 8pm, with parishioners gathering to watch the “landmark” building engulfed in flames.

Reverend Rosie Frew outside the remains of the church in Cumbernauld. Church of Scotland

After it was razed to the ground, a parishioner found a news report commemorating the placing of the foundation stone in November 1964, which also mentioned that a time capsule had been buried – leading to its discovery.

St Mungo’s Church had been amalgamated into Trinity Parish Church, a union of Cumbernauld Old Church and Kildrum and St Mungo’s churches, in 2024.

Morag Rusk, session clerk of the parish, found the original order of service from the day the foundation stone was laid, in her mother’s archives.

News report about the church from November 1964. PA Media

She notified the demolition teams who were called in to clear away the remains of the burnt out building and who found the capsule in the rubble.

Ms Rusk said: “I had the order of service from November 7 1964, kept by my mum, but did not realise there was a time capsule buried in the foundations.

“I also received a phone call from a member of the congregation about it because she also had a copy of the order of service from her parents.

“It stated that ‘a canister containing records and coins shall be laid in the foundations’ and she said she was hoping it could be found.

“I asked the demolition team to look out for it and amazingly they found it in the rubble and handed it over to us.”

The metal canister contained copies of the Cumbernauld News, including an edition from October 16 1964 which included a notice about the death of the serving minister of St Mungo’s, Rev Simon Roy MacKintosh, who was heavily involved in the plans to build a distinctive place of worship.

Another edition from November 6 1964 reported that the foundation stone would be laid the next day, by General Sir Richard O’Connor, who served as Lord High Commissioner to the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland that year, who acted as a representative for Queen Elizabeth II.

Also in the time capsule was a collection of pre-decimal coins, draft ideas from the parish minister for a potential layout of the building, and papers from the Linlithgow and Falkirk Presbytery regarding the project.

The time capsule was opened in the Cafe Church, and Mrs Rusk described it as a “wonderful and unexpected find”.

Communion pewter-ware was also salvaged from the remnants of the building.

Mrs Rusk said: “We opened the canister at the Cafe Church a few weeks ago and the contents were tightly packed, it is such a wonderful and unexpected find.

“Despite losing the building in such bad circumstances, the site has now been cleared and the congregation is feeling positive about the future as discussions about the possibility of building a new modern church building on the site are under way.”

Previously she said: “It was an iconic landmark and the pyramid tower could be seen as you drive into the town from whatever direction, Glasgow, Airdrie and Falkirk.”

Mr Reaich, who met famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright while living in the United States, went onto become a renowned architect in his own right.

Police are appealing for information about the blaze.

Detective Sergeant Craig Jeffrey, of Police Scotland, said: “Inquiries so far have established the fire was deliberate. We are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed anything to contact us.

“We’d also ask anyone with footage of the area at the time to please come forward.”