Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral
Refurbishment of Dean’s House etc at The Cross/Kirk Street
As many will know, the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral was established in 1930, to adorn the interior of the Cathedral, to safeguard the amenity of the Cathedral and enhance its surroundings. Over the years the Society has made a significant difference inside the Cathedral, transforming the Chapter House, converting the chamber at the west end of the Cathedral to the Clement Chapel and creating the Helen Lamb screen, to name but a few improvements. Members of the Society provide tours of the Cathedral over the summer months and support the very popular graveyard tours that have taken place over the last year or so. Amongst other projects completed by the Society is the Millennium Garden. This attractive sanctuary, located in the graveyard close to the east end of the Cathedral, continues to be maintained by volunteers from the Society.
In the decades immediately following its foundation in 1930, the Society, to improve the appearance of the surrounding area and, as funds were available, set about purchasing neighbouring properties, many of which were in a poor condition, and some were at risk of demolition. These included the terrace of small dwellings in Kirk Street, which were saved from demolition, stabilised and gifted to the Scottish Churches Ecumenical Committee in 1959. For about 50 years these buildings, formed into a single unit, were used as the Scottish Churches House ecumenical conference centre.
What is perhaps not so widely known is that the Society continues to own and is responsible for the maintenance of the large building situated opposite the Cathedral at the junction of The Cross and Kirk Street. Known collectively as the Dean’s House this historic building, the oldest part of which dates from the early 17th century, comprises the section occupied by Dunblane Museum (set up in the 1940s by the Society and now run as a separate charity) and three residential properties – Dean’s House, Dean’s Flat and Cockburn House – which are let to private tenants.
Since the middle of June you will have been able to see an example of the work of the Society in action as major refurbishment works are carried out to the exterior of the Dean’s House building (not including the 21st century extension to the Dunblane Museum). The building has been be covered in scaffolding for the purpose of carrying out necessary repairs to the render before reapplying layers of lime wash to preserve the exterior of the building. Windows, doors, rainwater goods and railings are being repaired as required and then repainted. Similar refurbishment works were last carried out in 2017 and are a necessary step to ensure these unique buildings are properly maintained and are fit for purpose for many years to come. The considerable cost of the projected works is being met out of the Society’s limited resources to which has been added necessary additional funding obtained as the result of the successful appeal to members as well as from generous donations from several charitable funds and trusts.
Membership of the Society of Friends of Dunblane Cathedral is open to anyone who is interested in the Cathedral and the care of its historic surroundings in the centre of Dunblane, which are enjoyed by visitors from all over the world. If you would like to know more about the Society and would like to support its projects, further information, including application for membership details, may be found on the Cathedral website, by emailing margaret.bond@hotmail.com or scanning the QR code. New members will be most warmly welcomed.
