West Church Destroyed by Fire
The Church in Hatton as it was in the early 1900s. At that time it was Cruden United Free Church. This photograph appears in the book Cruden and its Ministers by Rev Adam McKay 1912.
[More about th History of the building]
On 18 February 2015 fire broke out in the now disused Cruden West Church building in Hatton, resulting in the building being completely destroyed.
Photograph: Jenny Redford
Photograph: Karen Tait
Photograph: Alison Thornton
Photograph: Fred Coutts
Distant shot taken from Greenheads
Photograph: John Lang Wilson
The moment when the spire collapsed.
Photograph Fred Coutts
The when the spire collapsed the church bell fell down inside the tower. It is now in safe keeping awating a decision about what should happen to it.
Photograph Dave Johnston
Photograph: Fred Coutts
Photograph Dave Johnston
Photograph: Fred Coutts
Aberdeenshire Council have a duty of care over War Memorials and they have indicated that they will remove the war memorial which is mounted on the front of the church and store it safely until such time as a new location can be found for it. Thethe Hatton Hall Committee have agreed that it can be fitted to the hall wall.
On the Sunday following the fire, Robert Esson, Session Clerk of Cruden parish Church made the following statement to the congregation
This week has been a very sad one for Cruden Parish Church and I know that many in our community have been devastated by the fire which has destroyed the West Church. I know we stopped using it in 2007 but many still have fond memories of worshiping there over a long number of years.
I was told of the fire about 7.45 on Wednesday morning and made my way straight there and looked on in utter shock and horror as the fire developed resulting in the building being totally destroyed, and I know others there at the time felt the same. The fire service did all they could to extinguish the fire but their efforts were in vain.
In early 2008, shortly after we stopped using the church the electricity was disconnected by Hydro Electric, they followed their usual practice of removing their main fuses at the meter which was situated just inside the windows on the gable end of the building facing on to Main Street. There was no electrical supply to the rest of the building and the fire was not caused by an electrical fault.
A police and fire service investigation is ongoing and we just have to leave them to get on with their investigation.
Aberdeenshire Council have also been involved and their surveyor has visited the site and they are fully aware of the situation.
Arrangements were made for a structural engineer to visit the site on Wednesday morning and in his view the building is unsafe and should be demolished.
The building is insured through the Church of Scotland Insurance Company and a loss adjuster acting on behalf of the insurance company visited the site on Wednesday afternoon. He has agreed with the recommendation of the structural engineer and we were asked to obtain three quotes from demolition companies to clear the site. Three companies have visited the site and at present we are waiting to hear back from them, once we do, the estimates will be passed on to the loss adjuster and what happens thereafter will be up to the insurance company to decide.
We have been informed by Aberdeenshire Council that they have a duty of care over war memorials and they have indicated that they will remove the war memorial and store it safely until such time as a new location can be found for it. I have been informed that the Hatton Hall Committee have agreed that it can be fitted to the hall wall.
The Church bell has been removed and the Kirk Session will have to decide what it wants to do with it. We are hoping that the clock face can be safely removed and again the Kirk Session will have to decide what to do with it.
The situation has been very fluid and changing on a daily basis and as far as I am aware we have acted on all the advice we were given by all the professionals who have been involved in dealing with the situation.
I am extremely grateful to Bob Forman who unhesitatingly agreed to offer his assistance in dealing with the aftermath of the fire and his help has been invaluable in dealing with all the organisations we have had to deal with in the last few days.
I would like to conclude with a short prayer.
Lord God
We are all extremely shocked and saddened at the fire which has destroyed your church and our former place of worship. Many in our community and beyond have very fond memories of worshiping there and we find what has happened difficult to comprehend, at the same time we give thanks that for those memories and may they never be lost.
Lord God we pray that you are with all in our community who this week are feeling a great sense of shock and horror at what has happened and please comfort and support us in the days and weeks ahead and may your guiding light continue to lead us safely into the future.
Hear our prayer in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
22 February 2015