THE gloomy depths beneath the floorboards of an old Black Isle church have yielded more interesting finds.
Already artefacts that included old wire-framed spectacles and thimbles, shroud pins and medieval glass, coins, clay pipes and slate pencils have been discovered and are now in Cromarty Courthouse Museum.
But now documents have been found under the loft floorboards during conservation work at the East Church, Cromarty. They include instructions to servants on serving God, a Church of Scotland Highlands and Islands committee request for more funding for dioceses, fundraising for the Jewish Commission and a part of The Children’s Weekly.
Dating from 1837 to 1937 these documents give a insight into the church congregation during that time.
Shortage of cash is no new problem for the Kirk, and in an unusual fundraising bid in 1937 the Church of Scotland sent out a collection document on behalf of the Highlands and islands called “Three Glimpses”.
It contrasts two parishes, the first in the Borders with a “charming church” a “comfortable manse and snugly placed garden” and a stipend “well above the minimum”.
The second “glimpse” is a Highland island parish with the church a “grim square block”, the need to deliver separate services in both Gaelic and English and the stipend “the bare minimum after a local struggle”.
The third glimpse shows the committee on the Highlands and islands using the “meagre funds supplied to it from church collections attempting an almost impossible task” and making a plea for much more financial support from the whole church.
East Church community outreach worker Caroline Vawdrey said: “These finds join the amazing spread of personal items found under the floorboards during the archaeological work at the start of the East Church Project in 2008.”
For anyone who would like the chance to see how the East Church is looking there will be open evenings, with conducted tours at 7pm on Wednesday, May 26, and Tuesday, June 15.
The Category A listed East Church has been in the care of the Scottish Redundant Churches Trust since 1998.
A £1.2million project was developed to rescue the building and to reverse the effects of long-term under investment in maintenance. Work began in 2008 and will take up to two years to complete.