Cathedral of Trees opens after restoration
FOR A couple of weeks in early April, the peaceful atmosphere at the Cathedral of Trees was interrupted by the noise of a mini digger and other machines as Ian McCuish Landscaping Services took on the task of improving the drainage system and upgrading the paths.
The site is now open again for visitors to view the improvements and enjoy the cathedral in its early springtime setting.
And there is another change. If you listen carefully, you will catch the sound of water running along the previously stagnant ditches. Cathedral music! But visitors with children and dogs are warned to be careful as these ditches are quite deep.
Nicola Moll, a trustee of The Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees (SCIO), said: ‘We are delighted to have completed the first phase of the restoration programme, thanks largely to a grant from Historic Environment Scotland. This work will make a big difference to the regeneration of the trees and plants, as well as to the appearance of the site.
‘We have really appreciated the support and interest received through our Facebook page and elsewhere, and remain committed to developing the cathedral as a resource for local people to enjoy.’
Plans are now under way to build a wooden hut to offer shelter for visitors and provide more scope for volunteering and outdoor learning sessions. There are also plans to fell the surrounding conifers which currently block out much-needed sunlight to the cathedral ground. Longer term, the aim is to recreate an amenity woodland of native broadleave trees all around the site.
This Saturday, May 12, there is an open meeting at 2pm at the Church Centre, Glencruitten Road, Oban. Everyone with an interest in the cathedral and its future is invited to come along. The AGM will follow at around 2.30pm.
Funding for core costs and new projects remains an ongoing challenge for the cathedral as currently it depends entirely on donations and grant funding. Donations can be made via the onsite box at the cathedral entrance, via facebook or by cheque, payable to the Glencruitten Cathedral of Trees (SCIO) and addressed to the registered office at 9 Forth Street, Edinburgh. Every donation is very much appreciated. Gift Aid can be added if requested.
And there is another way of contributing to the cathedral. The plan is to replace the grassed area in the nave with a mix of ground-hugging plants.
So, If you would like to donate a plant (such as sedum, saxifrage, bugle, heather), or if you have ground cover/ rockery plants in your garden with some to spare, please bring your contribution along when you next visit and leave it in one of the nursery beds behind the altar. Later, these will be used to create a rich mosaic on either side of the central aisle – every plant an enduring gift, woven into the cathedral fabric for all time.
Access to the cathedral is via Glencruitten Woodlands entrance– just follow the stone waymarkers.