A RURAL church near Lockerbie triumphed twice at the prestigious National Church Awards last week.
Tundergarth Parish Kirk picked up the Scottish Church Tourism Award and went on to be crowned the overall UK Church Tourism winner.
The ‘BAFTAs for Churches’ ceremony took place at Lincoln Cathedral last Tuesday, where Tundergarth was represented by Mike Thompson and Jessie Richardson.
Speaking about Tundergarth, which dates from 1900 and also features ruins from 1771, host Canon Ann Easter said: “What makes Tundergarth Parish Church truly unique is its connection to the Pan Am 103 tragedy in 1988. The nose cone of the aeroplane landed just across the road, and the church has become a place of pilgrimage for many around the world.
“The judges were very impressed and touched by what the church has done to create this place of memorial.”
Revealing it as the UK tourism winner, the Very Revd Dr Simon Jones added: “This one is really special. Rarely does an event have a truly global impact on a very small community.”
He also read out the Tundergarth submission: “On 21 December 1988 a terrorist bomb exploded onboard Pan Am flight 103. Of the 270 victims, 104 of those fell to earth in the immediate vicinity of Tundergarth Kirk.
“The church was used as a staging post for emergency responders, three of the victims are buried in the kirkyard and year after year people make a pilgrimage to the kirk to remember those who died. We are a warm and welcoming space for all to remember and pay tribute.
“Our board members each hold personal connections to the site; those relating to faith, family, home and the PanAm 103 attack. Keeping the site open is paramount to our mission to afford others the chance to experience all that the site has to offer.
“Our commitment to preserving Tundergarth Church is not just about maintaining a building but nurturing a living legacy that intertwines faith, history and a unique role in global memory.”
The judges were impressed at how volunteers are working hard to keep the building open, with a trust formed to take ownership of the church and keep it open as a place of worship when funding was withdrawn.
They felt it is testament to the resilience of the community as well as the remembrance of disaster and noted their plans for a museum on site.
Dr Jones added: “The judges hope that this award will help them on their way to do even more.”
Speaking at the ceremony, Tundergarth Kirk’s Trust treasurer Michael Thompson said: “This is a humbling award. We work hard in the trust, not only to keep our wee kirk open but also to continue to ensure the innocent victims of the UK’s biggest-ever terrorist attack are never forgotten.
“This award reinforces that we are carrying out valued work and providing a place of pilgrimage and solace for so many people across the world.”
n Tundergarth will take part in the ‘National Church Awards Visitor Your Finalist Day’ on Saturday November 23, when the doors will be open to everyone
