Bells of lost churches to be given pride of place in country park

Monument planned to display objects in all their glory

The bells of two demolished churches are to be given pride of place at Lochore Meadows Country Park.

Local parishioners from St Kenneth’s and Lochcraig churches have long wanted to see their places of worship commemorated after the buildings were taken down.

The plans were first mooted about a decade ago and a building warrant has now been granted for a monument which would see the church’s bells displayed at the entrance to the park.

Churchgoer Mary Nardone has been involved in the project.

“It did take a long time to get something we hoped would be suitable,” she said.

“It was making sure that we had something that kept the bells safe and not have them hanging in mid-air so kids could ring them and bother the neighbours.”

One of the designs suggested was similar to an old fashioned cairn, with the bells set into the stone.

Lochcraig Church once stood near the gates to Lochore Meadows, where Glencraig Gospel Hall now stands.

St Kenneth’s in Ballingry, which stood in a nearby field, suffered fire damage before it was demolished. It had a distinctive onion-shaped turret.

The bell from St Kenneth’s was moved to St Patrick’s Catholic Church in Lochgelly but despite its size and considerable weight, it was stolen. It was later recovered from Bellshill after someone tried to sell it on.

Both bells are now being stored in a safe location.

There is a question mark over how much the project will cost. Fife Council’s building standards suggested a figure of £50,000 when the building warrant was granted.

However, it is understood the cost could be around £25,000.

Tom Kinnaird, who chairs Benarty Community Council, suspected the £50,000 figure had been an error.

He said: “I think someone’s been a wee bit fast on the keyboard.

“It has been eight or nine years, but inflation has been pretty flat.”

However, the cost of the project would still appear to be more than initially estimated around nine years ago, when it was in the region of £7,500.

Mr Kinnaird added: “Members of the churchgoing community will be interested to see the bells mounted.

“This is one of the oldest parishes in Scotland. It would just be nice to get the thing moved along and finished.”

“It was making sure that we had something that kept the bells safe and not have them hanging in mid-air so kids could ring them and bother the neighbours.

CHURCHGOER MARY NARDONE