After seven decades of inactivity, the St Nicholas Kirk, in Holm, has opened its doors to the public again.

When the kirk closed its doors in 1939, with war looming, no one could have envisaged that, after a period of 73 years, it would again be accessible to the public, albeit in a different role.

During the war years, the kirk was commissioned by the army as a store, and situated as it is, on the eastern shore of the approach to Scapa Flow, it had a commanding view of the entrance to Holm Sound.

After the war, the building continued its use as a store, this time by the owners, the Church of Scotland, and it had a brief respite when it was used as one of the locations for the filming of Venus Peter.

However, as the years wore on, the kirk began to deteriorate, suffered broken windows and the indignity of a lightning strike irreparably damag-ing its bellcote.

It was put on the open market in 2009, and it was wondered who on earth would take on this B-listed liability, with no adjoining land, and access only through the kirkyard!

It was soon apparent, however, that many Holm people did not want to see the old building pass into the hands of an absentee owner and were willing to take on the responsibility of saving St Nicholas.

The Friends of St Nicholas was formed, under the chairmanship of Alfie Flett, and the building was purchased. Two years on the building has been made safe, and a small area has been restored for the use of visitors. The former vestry houses

a small display of Holm history, with a Book of Remembrance, and is a very tranquil place to enjoy a seat looking out over the sea.

Over 50 people attended the informal opening on Saturday. April 7, and the vestry will now continue to be open over the summer months.

 

More photos can be seen here