Historic St Mary's Chapel at Blairs set to close due to £2m of defects

St Mary's Chapel at Blairs has a regular congregation of just 30 worshippers

A historic chapel is expected to close after a survey uncovered building defects that would cost £2m to repair.

St Mary's Chapel at Blairs, near Aberdeen, was part of a junior seminary - a college for priests - from 1829 to 1986.

But now it has a regular congregation of just 30 worshippers.

The Blair College Chapel Trust said it believed the chapel should close permanently but a final decision would be made in the autumn.

Parishioners will be accommodated at other nearby places of worship.

Following the closure of the seminary, land and buildings were sold off but the chapel remained in use.

But congregation numbers have dwindled, and the trust said the estimated £2m repair bill was beyond their means.

Bishop Hugh Gilbert, the Bishop of Aberdeen and chair of the Blairs College Chapel Trust, said: "Regrettably, rising running costs, a diminished number of parishioners, and a catalogue of serious defects in the building brought to light by the recent survey make it difficult to see how the chapel can be sustained for its present purposes.

"The trustees have come to the view that the building will have to close permanently.

"Given the beauty of the church and the historical connection with the former junior seminary, they are fully aware of the sadness this will cause. In order to allow time for any further considerations to emerge, no final decision will be taken until 30 September."