An anonymous benefactor has stepped forward to save an iconic Scottish Borders church with a £115k donation – just days before it was due to be put up for sale.
The divine intervention means the funds are now available to purchase 800-year-old St Mary’s Kirk in Hawick.
Perched on a grassy knoll at the west end of Hawick's High Street, St Mary’s dominates the town's skyline.
There has been a place of worship on the site where St Mary’s stands for over 800 years.
But it was among a large number of buildings throughout the land to be disposed of by the Church of Scotland.
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A Friends of St Mary’s group was formed last year, committed to re-imagining the Kirk for generations to come, preserving its legacy at the heart of Hawick while creating a welcoming community space that ensures a sustainable future.
Now that future appears secure following the recent act of incredible generosity.
Hawick & Hermitage Councillor Watson McAteer, who has been involved in efforts to save the church, said: “This anonymous donation has been wonderful.
“There has been coffee mornings, there has been local publicity and the net has been spread pretty wide about the iconic nature of St Mary’s and its 12th century origins and we had support from the Duke of Buccleuch, who has relatives in the crypt.
“We always expected somebody would recognise the iconic value and importance of St Mary’s to the town and it’s great that someone has stepped forward and avoided the difficulty of raising one hundred and fifteen thousand pounds.
“The deadline date was the third of June for an offer to be made to the Church of Scotland. It was only at the weekend, with a few days to go, that the news of the donation came. It’s fantastic.”
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