Charity set to take over Inverness' oldest church

The Old High Church was put up for sale in 2022

Inverness' oldest church - Old High - is set to become a community hub and heritage centre under the ownership of a charity.

The Church of Scotland has accepted an offer from the group, Save Old High Inverness. The building was on sale for offers of about £99,500.

A spokesperson for the Kirk said they hoped the sale would secure the future of the site, which was built using parts of a medieval church.

Save Old High Inverness plans to carry out studies into how the space could be used in the future.

The church was put up for sale in 2022.

The mound on which the Old High was constructed is believed to be the site where Irish missionary St Columba converted King Brude to Christianity in 565.

The saint is also linked to the mythology of the Loch Ness Monster.

An account of the missionary's life thought to have been written in the 7th Century tells of him encountering a strange beast in the River Ness.

The oldest part of the Old High was used as a prison after Bonnie Prince Charlie's defeat at Culloden, and captured Jacobites were executed in the church grounds.

This connection with Culloden has led to the church featuring as a stop on local walking tours, and made it of interest to Outlander fans.

The TV hit, based on the books of author Diana Gabaldon, follows the adventures of World War Two nurse Claire, played by Caitriona Balfe, and Sam Heughan's 18th Century Jacobite Highlander Jamie Fraser.

The church is a prominent landmark on Inverness' Riverside

A bell believed to have been rung daily for more than 300 years forms part of the sale.

The curfew bell dates back to 1703.

According to the Church of Scotland it was originally rung at 17:00 to signal a night-time curfew before a later tradition started for ringing it at 20:00.

The bell is listed in the sales schedule for the Old High, and the new owner would take responsibility for it.