Robert the Bruce church facing ‘eye-watering’ £8m repair bill

The historic church where the bones of King Robert the Bruce are interred is facing an £8m bill to repair and upgrade the building.

The 950-year-old Abbey Church in Dunfermline is considered to be Scotland’s equivalent to Westminster Abbey in London or the Basilica of Saint-Denis in Paris and attracts more than 40,000 visitors a year, including royal guests and visitors from around the world.

But its “eye-watering” maintenance costs fall to the few hundred parishioners who regularly attend services.

Recent surveys estimate that it will cost £4m to essential repairs to the building and another £4m to upgrade church facilities.

The Church of Scotland said the projected costs for repairs to ensure it stays wind and watertight as well as upgrade work were based on surveys carried out by specialist companies.

An exhibition on the role of the church in the local community and its history will be held at Dunfermline Carnegie Library and Galleries from 22 March to 6 April.

Visitors will be able to give their views on the future of the Abbey, which was founded by Queen Margaret in the 11th Century.

An event at the Abbey church on 5 April will allow people to discuss proposals to protect it for future generations.

The kirk, which receives no public funding, has set up a JustGiving page for donations.

Abbey Church of Dunfermline minister Rev Dr Mary Ann Rennie said: “These are eye-watering sums of money.

“We have a congregation of 425 and up until now, the burden has fallen on them to fund repairs and improvements as well as secure small grants from funding bodies such as The Carnegie (Dunfermline) Trust.

“However, this is an unsustainable funding model.

“Congregations of buildings of national importance should not be solely responsible for the bulk of repair, maintenance and sustainability of a historic building of this standing.

“Our church building is a unique icon and the tower, with the lettering King Robert the Bruce, is a landmark and synonymous with the city.”

She added: “Our rich history attracts visitors and pilgrims from all over the world.

“That’s why we are opening a conversation with the local community, key organisations and those with an interest about how we go forward with the building.”

When Robert the Bruce died in 1329, he was buried in Dunfermline Abbey with his grave marked, at his request, with a tomb imported from Paris.

The building was destroyed in the Reformation era and rebuilt in a gothic revival style in the 19th Century.

The King’s remains were discovered when the foundations for the new building were being prepared in 1818.

They were reinterred in the New Abbey Church building, and the plans for the tower were adapted to incorporate the words “King Robert The Bruce” around the top parapet.

Queen Margaret’s son, King David I, later paid for an extension, turning it into a Benedictine Abbey.

In 1320, King Robert the Bruce funded the completion and upgrading of the monastery and guesthouses and in the 1560s Queen Mary funded further major development work to the palace and nave.

In October 2022, the King and Queen visited, when they marked Dunfermline becoming Scotland’s eighth and newest city.

It was the King’s first official engagement after ascending the throne on the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II.

Ms Rennie said she hopes the people of Dunfermline and the wider country want to see the building saved.

She added: “It has a place in people’s hearts, but we have to move the building forward.

“It’s no longer enough to have it only as a place of worship.

“We want to ensure it continues to fulfil its original intent of being a space for community, refuge and education at the heart of Dunfermline for the town, visitors and pilgrims for the foreseeable future.

“However, to achieve this we need to not only repair the building to keep it wind and watertight but also adapt it whilst also maintaining its dignity and historical features.

“A lift, up-to-date heating and lighting, more toilets, meeting rooms for community groups and church groups to use, flexible seating provision that allows a range of events to take place.

“We want this building to be at the heart of Dunfermline and we want everyone with a connection to the city, whether a distant relative of Robert the Bruce, a tourist, a pilgrim, a resident or a member of the congregation, to come with us on this journey.”