Guthrie Heritage & Guthrie Church

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Guthrie Heritage & Guthrie Church

Welcome to the Guthrie Heritage page where we will share Guthrie history through our church (in Angus, Scotland) and online.

We are on a journey to develop a heritage centre for worship, education, and community engagement to last for future generations.

03/06/2026

Yesterday, we were delighted to welcome Katie Smith (ne Guthrie) to Guthrie Church for a special visit.

Afterwards, Katie sent us the most wonderful message:

"We had an absolutely wonderful time! Thank you so much! It was a dream come true. I've wanted to visit all my life and have photos of my family members visiting in years past. Thank you again!"

Reading messages like this makes every hour spent preserving Guthrie Church and developing the Guthrie Heritage Centre worthwhile. Knowing that visiting the church meant so much to Katie is exactly why we're working so hard to protect, restore and share this special place for future generations.

Of course, none of this would be possible without the incredible generosity of so many of you. Whether you've donated, volunteered your time, shared our posts, attended events or offered encouragement, you have helped make this possible. Thank YOU. Together, we're helping to ensure that special moments like Katie's can continue for generations to come.

If you would like to visit Guthrie Church, it is open every Sunday from 9am until 5pm (or until dusk during the winter months).

If you're planning a visit on another day, please email us at [email protected] and we will do our very best to accommodate you.

Thank you, Katie, for sharing your photos and your special afternoon with us. Messages like yours remind us why this work is so important and so special.

ps If you'd like to donate to the ongoing preservation of the church, you can do so here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/uxvcf-save-our-guthrie-family-heritage

30/05/2026

This is one of my favourite views of Guthrie church... it's so peaceful... we are so pleased to be able to share it with you all, thanks to so many of you.

27/05/2026

We were incredibly honoured to be invited to lunch on Monday with the Provost of Angus, Councillor Craig Fotheringham, alongside Councillor Linda Clark, Councillor for Forfar and former Provost, at the beautiful historic Town and County Hall in the centre of Forfar.

Seen in the photograph are Breeze Guthrie, President of Clan Guthrie USA and trustee of the Guthrie Heritage SCIO, his wife Jessica Guthrie, Provost Fotheringham and me, Remeny Armitage, Chair of the Guthrie Heritage SCIO.

It was such an encouraging and inspiring meeting and a real milestone for the Guthrie Heritage charity. We were made to feel so welcome and genuinely supported in everything we are trying to create at Guthrie Church and through the future Guthrie Heritage Centre.

We spoke about so many exciting possibilities -from engaging more with the local community and developing stronger connections across Angus tourism, to ideas around events, fundraising, heritage activity and how the church can become an even more meaningful place for both locals and visitors alike.

We’re delighted that Provost Fotheringham is going to be able to join us and give a speech as part of our October launch celebrations, alongside Councillor Linda Clark.

Following the meeting, we were kindly given a tour of the Town and County Hall, including the beautiful civic rooms and ballroom at the heart of Angus public life.

It means so much to feel so warmly welcomed and to see such enthusiasm and support for what we are building together.

A huge thank you again to Provost Fotheringham and Councillor Linda Clark for your time, encouragement and generosity.

26/05/2026

Yesterday was a really exciting and inspiring day at Guthrie Heritage SCIO as we gathered at Guthrie Church to plan the next stage of the Guthrie Heritage Centre journey.

It was a brilliant mix of people; including historian Norman Atkinson, Reverend Brian Ramsey, a volunteer from the Men’s Shed, members of the local community, the family of the Clan Chief, Clan Guthrie USA and their president Breeze Guthrie.

Using sticky notes spread across the church, we began visualising the next stage of the Heritage Centre; from future history boards and storytelling ideas, to plans for creating more display space by carefully removing some of the pews, and thinking through how visitors will experience and connect with the history of Guthrie.

What was so special was seeing so many different perspectives, ideas and skills coming together with the same shared passion for preserving and bringing this history to life for future generations.

We’re all incredibly excited about what’s ahead and can’t wait to share more of the journey as plans continue to develop towards the launch in October.

15/05/2026

One of the fascinating memorials inside Guthrie Church is this bronze plaque dedicated to Reverend William McConachie, who served as minister here from 1893 until 1907, as recorded on the board listing the ministers of the parish - (as you walk into the church).

The inscription reads:
“The Rev. William McConachie DD S.A. A loving tribute by his widow in commemoration of long and faithful service to this church and parish.”

What makes the memorial especially interesting is the sculptor: it was created by the renowned Scottish-American artist J. Massey Rhind. Born in Edinburgh, Rhind went on to become highly respected in the United States, where he produced major public sculptures and memorials - including a well-known equestrian statue of George Washington in Newark, New Jersey.

It feels rather amazing that here, in Guthrie Church, we have a memorial created by an artist whose work became known and sought after across America.

We discovered this fascinating piece of history thanks to the wonderful volunteers from Scotland's Churches Trust, who visited last year to carefully record and document everything inside the church. The photograph was kindly taken by them too.

As we continue uncovering and sharing the stories within the church, it’s wonderful to realise just how many unexpected connections to wider Scottish and international history can be found here.

For anyone interested in learning more about the sculptor, there is more information here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._Massey_Rhind

12/05/2026

After such an amazing and emotional day celebrating the reopening of Guthrie Church last June, one quiet moment later that afternoon has stayed with me ever since.

After the celebrations, I went back to the church to help tidy up and clear things away. While we were there, two ladies arrived from the States hoping to visit the church and reconnect with their family history and ancestors.

I had the privilege of showing them around the church, sharing some of the history and talking about what we are trying to create through the Guthrie Heritage Centre.

They were so interested, engaged and genuinely touched by the church, the history, and the vision for keeping a piece of Guthrie alive - not only for the local community, but for Guthries and visitors from around the world and for future generations.

It suddenly struck me just how much this place means to people. There was something incredibly special about seeing people travel such a distance simply to connect with their past and to feel part of the continuing story of Guthrie.

One of the loveliest things about Guthrie Church is that visitors continue to find their way here throughout the year, often travelling from all over the world. I just wish we could meet every single person who walks through the doors and hear their stories and connections to Guthrie.

So, if by any chance the two American ladies who visited that afternoon happen to see this post - thank you. Your visit meant more to me than you probably realised.

And thank you too to everyone who has helped make this possible and continues to support the journey of Guthrie Church and the future Heritage Centre.

We’re incredibly excited about what comes next, and I’m really looking forward to welcoming many more of you to Guthrie in October for the opening of the Guthrie Heritage Centre.

The church is currently open every Sunday for visitors. If you are planning a visit at another time, please do get in touch and we’ll always do our best to help where we can.

08/05/2026

One of the things that has struck us most through this journey is the extraordinary generosity connected to Guthrie.

The kindness, encouragement and support we continue to receive from people around the world has been incredibly moving. There is such a strong spirit of care for this place and its heritage.

It somehow feels fitting beneath the Good Shepherd window in the church - a reminder of care, protection and community across generations.

We simply wanted to say thank you.

Thank you to everyone following the page, sharing stories and memories, and taking such an interest in Guthrie Church and the future Heritage Centre. We hope you’ve been enjoying the history and stories we’ve been sharing along the way.

Thank you too for all the engagement, comments and kind words on the posts - it genuinely means a lot to us.

We’re incredibly excited about what we are creating and are busy planning towards the opening of the Guthrie Heritage Centre in October. We very much hope to see some of you there.

A special thank you as well to everyone who has donated so generously to help us buy the church and keep this vision alive for future generations.

If you would like to continue supporting the charity and development of the church and Heritage Centre:

USA donations:
https://secure.givelively.org/donate/clan-guthrie-usa-guthrieusa-inc/save-guthrie-kirk

UK & worldwide donations:
https://bit.ly/GuthrieHeritageUKgiving

Please also keep letting us know if there are particular stories or areas of Guthrie history you’d like to hear more about. A number of people have asked for more on the early history, so we’re trying to make that happen.

And please do share the page and posts with others who may be interested. The more people engaging with the project and the history, the better.

The church is open every Sunday, and visits at other times may also be possible if a volunteer is available - we’ll always do our very best to help.

Thank you again for being part of this journey with us.

07/05/2026

One of the most remarkable objects connected to Guthrie is the ancient Guthrie Bell.

It’s one of only two surviving early “enshrined” bells in Scotland - a sacred object linked to the earliest days of Christianity in this country.

The iron bell itself may date from as early as the 8th century (or even before), making it one of the oldest surviving objects connected to Guthrie.

These bells were far more than practical objects. They were treated as holy relics, associated with saints, worship, and pilgrimage. Their survival reminds us just how deep the spiritual and historical roots of Guthrie truly are.

Over the centuries, the bell was enclosed within a beautiful decorative shrine, with layers added across different periods of Scottish history, including medieval silverwork and later ornamentation from the 15th and 16th centuries.

The bell eventually passed into the care of the Guthrie family and remained at Guthrie Castle for many years, becoming part of the clan’s story and heritage. Then, in the early 1960s, the Clan Chief - Colonel Ivan Guthrie generously donated the bell to the National Museum of Scotland, where it remains preserved today as part of Scotland’s early Christian heritage.

And if you visit the museum today, you can also see the extraordinary painted ceiling panels from the Guthrie Aisle - rare surviving medieval church artwork - depicted scenes of the Crucifixion and the Last Judgement once displayed at Guthrie Castle and donated alongside the bell in the early 1960s. (More on those another time…)

Together, the bell and ceiling panels give a glimpse into the long and fascinating history connected to Guthrie - from early Christianity through to the medieval period and beyond.

As we continue developing the Guthrie Heritage Centre, we look forward to sharing more of these stories and helping bring Guthrie’s history to life for future generations.

Image credit: National Museums Scotland / Bridgeman Images

05/05/2026

300 followers… and an exciting story from our early history - back to 1299...

Without the Guthries, we might not have had one of Scotland’s greatest heroes!

Around 1299, William Wallace was in France, seeking support from King Philip IV during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Back in Scotland, things were uncertain. Leadership was fragile, and there was an urgent need to get Wallace home.

According to clan history, the Laird of Guthrie was among those sent to France - tasked with finding him and bringing him home.

A journey across countries.
A mission built on trust.
And a small but significant role in a much bigger story.

Now, over 700 years later, we’ve reached 300 people here - reconnecting with Guthrie, sharing stories, and helping bring this history back to life through the church and the future Heritage Centre.

Thank you for being part of it.

303 and counting.

Address

Guthrie Church, Guthrie
Forfar
DD82TP

Opening Hours

11am - 4pm

Website

http://www.guthrieheritage.org/

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