A community group in Largs has lodged a competitive offer to take over the historic former St Columba’s Parish Church, in a race against time to save both the building and the extraordinary Victorian pipe organ inside it. Friends of St Columba’s, working with Largs Community Development Trust, submitted the bid before the closing date of February 18. The church had been listed for offers over £145,000.
The Henry Willis pipe organ, installed in the 1890s, is considered a Victorian masterpiece and is believed to be worth more than the building itself. Built on a grand scale by the same maker responsible for the instruments at the Royal Albert Hall, St Paul’s Cathedral, and the cathedrals of Durham, Salisbury, and Hereford, it has remained tonally and technically unaltered since its construction. In classical music circles, that makes it exceptionally rare and valuable.
There is already interest from organ specialists and a London church whose representatives are travelling to Largs to view the instrument with a view to possible relocation. That prospect adds urgency to the community’s bid. If the building is sold to a private buyer with no interest in preservation, both the church and the organ could be lost.
Thomas Stewart, chairing the Friends group, told Largs Community Council: “We have been articulating a vision of what the church could be and preparing some of the necessary works and mechanics involved with that. I understand there have been a number of bidders.”
The community’s offer is conditional on the Church of Scotland retaining ownership for a period while structural surveys are carried out, funding secured, and partner organisations brought on board. Church of Scotland trustees are currently considering several bids, and a decision may take some weeks. Scotland has lost too many fine buildings to neglect, conversion, or demolition. If the Largs community can pull this off, it would be a model for how to save them.