Recording the Past for the Future

Presentation of Glencarse Church Record     

At a magnificent sung Eucharist service, on July 21st 2024, attended by The Bishop of Brechin, the President and two Committee members of TAST and a full congregation, Brian Whitten the Church Recording Leader presented the ‘Record of Church Furnishings of All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Glencarse’, as a record is properly titled, to the Rector, Canon Dr. Ian Young. In making the presentation Brian briefly outlined the history of church recording and chose three items of interest to the congregation as an example of the recorders’ research. Canon Young thanked the Church Recorders for their hard work in compiling the record and apologised that the Church may not always have been as warm as one would have wished at certain times of the year!  

TAST Church Recorers Brian Whitten, with some of the Church Recording team, has recently presented the record of St John's Episcopal Church, Perth, to the Church Warden David Willington and Rector the Very Revd Graham Taylor. 

If you have visited a place of worship and seen a group of people armed with clipboards, binoculars, cameras, magnifying glasses and tape measures walking around, they are probably Church Recorders of The Arts Society. 

Church Recording promotes the recognition and preservation of the rich artistic heritage in places of worship across the denominational spectrum. The system of Church Recording was set up with support from the Directors of the British Museum and Victoria & Albert Museum in London, who realised how much precious heritage and history was contained in our churches, but was in danger of being lost due to church refurbishments, theft, general decay and church closures. The first record was completed in 1973 and some 2000 records now form the national inventory of church contents held by the V & A. Over 50 Records have been completed in Scotland and 5 are in the process of being recorded.

The information is recorded to museum standard under nine headings: Memorials, Metalwork, Stonework, Woodwork, Textiles, Paintings etc., Library, Windows and Miscellaneous. Every item is described in detail. An enjoyable part of the work is finding out about makers, donors and those commemorated on memorial inscriptions. In addition to local help The Arts Society has a large team of UK wide experts on whose advice we can call, training is given and reference books are available. Recording in Scotland is particularly interesting for the differences between the Presbyterian and Episcopalian traditions.

On completion of the record, a Church is presented with an illustrated hard bound book detailing each item and its history. A digital copy is sent to The V & A and bound copies are also sent to national institutions: National Library of Scotland, the County Archive and the head office of the denomination.

Records of St. Paul’s Scottish Episcopal Church, Kinross and St. Bean, Fowlis Wester, Church of Scotland, Dunkeld Cathedral, St. John’s Episcopal Church, Perth and All Saints’ Episcopal Church, Glencarse have been completed and work is in progress at the church of St Mary’s Monastery, Perth.

Recorders meet for about 3 hours, two mornings a month at the church. If you enjoy the excitement of discovery and learning, why not join us?

If you would like to know more contact our Church Recorder Group Leader: Brian Whitten 01828 640036 tastchurchrecording@gmail.com