Historic Church Connected to Sunset Song Sold
Arbuthnott Church in Kincardineshire, which has historic ties to the classic Scottish novel Sunset Song, has been sold following the failure of a community bid to acquire the building.
The church served as the inspiration for the setting of the 1932 novel, and its author, Lewis Grassic Gibbon, is interred in the churchyard.
Community Group's Attempt to Acquire the Church
A local community group had expressed interest in taking over the church, which is A-listed, but the property was ultimately placed on the open market.
The Church of Scotland confirmed to BBC Scotland News that the sale has been completed but declined to provide further details regarding the transaction.
The church has previously said it needed to significantly reduce the properties it owns.
Background on Lewis Grassic Gibbon and Sunset Song
Sunset Song was written in 1932 by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, the pen name of James Leslie Mitchell.
The novel is the first in the trilogy A Scots Quair and follows the story of Chris Guthrie, a young woman living and working on her family farm in the Mearns, the agricultural region south of Aberdeen.
The fictional estate of Kinraddie, where the story is set, was based on Arbuthnott, where Grassic Gibbon spent his childhood and where his ashes were buried after his death at age 33 in 1935.
The trilogy begins just before the outbreak of World War One and traces Chris’s journey from rural life to the city, exploring themes such as class, war, religion, and female emancipation.
Details of the Church Building and Community Efforts
The oldest part of the Arbuthnott church dates back to the late 1200s, underscoring its historical significance.
The Arbuthnott Community Development Group had considered raising funds or applying for grants to take ownership of the church.
The Church of Scotland stated it had been
"supportive"of a community sale, but the plan did not come to fruition, leading to the church being listed on the open market.
Ownership and maintenance of the graveyard fall under Aberdeenshire Council.
Cultural Impact of Sunset Song
In 1971, the novel was adapted into a six-episode television series, which was the first colour drama produced by BBC Scotland and received widespread acclaim.
This adaptation is credited with renewing public interest in Grassic Gibbon’s work, and Sunset Song was subsequently included in the Higher English syllabus.
In a 2016 BBC poll, the novel was voted Scotland’s favourite book, surpassing titles such as The Wasp Factory by Iain Banks and Lanark by Alasdair Gray.
In 2020, Nicola Sturgeon, then First Minister, wrote a new introduction to the novel, expressing her admiration and stating it was her favourite book.
