Vandalism at Old St Peter's Church

[ecb]

"'Sacrilege' as kirk is targeted again


... NEW moves are under way to improve security at the vandal-hit Old St Peter's Church in Thurso. It follows the latest damage done to the historic site, which has become an overnight drink and drug-taking haunt. The damage was discovered by Alan McIvor, a keen local historian, who has taken on the unpaid role of looking after the 13th-century kirk which is in the old part of the town near the harbour. ..."
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2394/'Sacrilege'_as_kirk_is_targeted_again.html

More vandalism at one of Caithness's leading historic sites (which has tourism potential) reported in the Caithness Courier, I just cannot understand the mentality of people who do this sort of thing.

[johno]

this is just wanton vandalism, the people that did this obviously have no respect for anything. this old church & graveyard sat there untouched by vandalism for half a century or more.not only should it be declared an historic site it aught to be looked after by the authorities. guess that it,s just a sign of the times. modern youth has little respect for our heritage it would seem.
i took a stroll down the town yesterday morning for the newspapers and i counted seven cars that had been scratched in as many streets. now what good do,es that do anyone ,if one has a grudge would it not be better to face the people rather than take the sneaky cowardly way ,
disgusted [disgust]

[Ash]

this upsets me, we quite often take the wee one a walk round there as she in at her interested in everything stage, like churches, it amazes her, now because of idiotic people i will no longer be able to take her there because of all the damage![disgust]

[Sporran]

"'Sacrilege' as kirk is targeted again


... NEW moves are under way to improve security at the vandal-hit Old St Peter's Church in Thurso. It follows the latest damage done to the historic site, which has become an overnight drink and drug-taking haunt. The damage was discovered by Alan McIvor, a keen local historian, who has taken on the unpaid role of looking after the 13th-century kirk which is in the old part of the town near the harbour. ..."
http://www.johnogroat-journal.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/2394/'Sacrilege'_as_kirk_is_targeted_again.html

More vandalism at one of Caithness's leading historic sites (which has tourism potential) reported in the Caithness Courier, I just cannot understand the mentality of people who do this sort of thing.

I've just finished reading the JOG article, and it really upsets and angers me to read of such desecration! [mad] That's a serious amount of damage, and I agree wholeheartedly with Mr McIvor's comments on the character of the vandals. I hope the culprits are caught and suitably shamed and punished! If it was up to me, they'd be heavily fined AND jailed! Perhaps a good amount of barbed wire needs to be added to the top of the walls surrounding the church, and the entrance gate as well. It's too easy for vandals to gain access, the way things are now. I'm glad to hear that police are to increase patrols around the church. Perhaps a security camera should be installed too.

[Tugmistress]

What a crying shame. I was only in there in the last two weeks taking some pictures of the place, it is amazing in there and could quite happily spend three or four hours wandering, reading and snapping away (with the camera!).
I too hope whoever did this is caught and punished accordingly.

[thirsaloon]

What an absolute disgrace eh! This one of a kind site desecrated by some idiots who have nothing better to do. And once again their bravery when carrying out the desecration is always replaced with cowardice when it comes to owning up to what they did.

During the period that the church is open it gets hundreds of visitors. I noticed in the P&J, who also ran the story that a lady had written in complaining about some of the vandalism she found several years ago. She wrote letters to a number of bodies but received no reply from them until Historic Scotland gave a poor response.

It’s a great shame that this one of a kind site, a jewel in the crown of the heritage of not only Thurso but Caithness has had to suffer in such a way. Parts of the building have stood there since the latter part of the Viking occupation and now it has to be treated in such a shameful way. I am by no means a religious man, but bloody hell it is still a graveyard after all, show some respect!

Let’s hope that a few more folks take the same attitude of the lady mentioned previously and write some letters to the local press to show their disgust at what has been done. For what little consolation there is at least this time round unlike before there was no one trying to dig up a grave!!!

Can’t they understand that once something as irreplaceable as this site is damaged it is gone forever. Only two weeks ago three lads were chased from the church after they were spotted trying to climb to the top. They obviously don’t realise that any building like this does not get stronger with age.

Because of the damage the church for the time being is now closed, what a loss for visitors and locals who come to see it. It’s about time sites like these were promoted like the ones in Orkney and not left to the hands of the few yobs with brains as thick as a peat bank.

[theone]

Something I find ridiculous is that the graveyard has to be looked after by an unpaid volunteer!

Surely something like this should be looked after by the council?

[thirsaloon]

The property is owned by the Highland Council. They maintain it as far as spraying weed killer is concerned. This is usually carried out once, sometimes twice a year.

Any work which would have to be carried out regarding any of the stones or the actual building as far as I am aware has to go to Historic Scotland. The process being that they would give free planning permission etc once they know what work, what materials used, and how it will be carried out. Once they are happy they will allow work to begin.

This is because you obviously wouldnt want to use modern materials which may hace a chemical reaction against the older materials used, like the old lime mortar for example.

The job of looking after the church was a paid one, this was an agreement between Caithness District Council and whoever was looking after the grounds at the time. However for some reason payment was never issued after a period of time. As far as I know the gentleman who looked after the church before Alan McIvor was only paid a couple of times, after that he carried on as an act of goodwill and never bothered to ask for what he was supposed to have been paid.

[Rampant Rabbit]

Mr Mcivor Has Two Job.s Within The Highland Council One As Streetsweeper And The Other In The Thurso Musem They In Employ Someone Else In The Summer To Do The Streetsweeper Then He Get Holidays And The Musem Job Was Not Put In The Local Job Centre And Then They Pay The Oter Man Of At Winter When He Get,s Back So I Think Mr Ncivor

[thirsaloon]

After checking with Mr McIvor this afternoon I can confirm that all the above statements are wrong nor do they have anything to do with Old St. Peters Church which is what this particular page is about and nor do they make any sense! Aint it funny how people can get side tracked. Cant we stick to what this is supposed to be about?

[Gogglebox]

Mr Mcivor Has Two Job.s Within The Highland Council One As Streetsweeper And The Other In The Thurso Musem They In Employ Someone Else In The Summer To Do The Streetsweeper Then He Get Holidays And The Musem Job Was Not Put In The Local Job Centre And Then They Pay The Oter Man Of At Winter When He Get,s Back So I Think Mr Ncivor

Did your message get cut off somewhere it doesnt seem to make sense at the end

Being that Mr McIvor is known as the Thurso town historian isnt it logical to have somone who knows what they are dealing with to do this job, i doubt folk would want someone who has no idea doing this job

Also wouldnt it be better to look at things more positively, the other man who sweeps the streets is getting work he wouldnt get. So hes gaining work not losing it - - -Glass half full not half empty!!

On St Peters Kirk Maybe Historic Scotland would help fund CCTV to put round the perimeter and link it into the current town system. It might be a detterent if not a cure