Tundergarth Kirks Trust Attend Princess Royal Visit
Her Royal Highness Princess Anne visited Lockebie at the end of March and Tundergarth Kirks Trust were invited along for the day. Trustee Ian McLatchie represented the Trust when the Princess Royal visited Dryfesdale Lodge Visitor Centre and Cemetery. Ian was personally introduced to the HRH inside the Visitor Centre, where he was able to explain the importance of our iconic sites, the relevance of Tundergarth in relation to the bombing of 21st December 1988 and our plans to create the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Museum on the site of the 1771 Old Kirk Ruins.
Ian spent around an hour and a half in the company of Princess Anne, as she met representatives from the Visitor Centre and heard about their new Pan Am 103 exhibition. Members of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Lockerbie residents and other dignitaries were also present and shared their memories of the disaster and the work that’s been taking place in the community ever since.
The Princess Royal then laid a wreath at the Garden of Remembrance to mark the 35th anniversary of the bombing. Lord-Lieutenant of Dumfries Fiona Armstrong spoke about the disaster and her involvement as a reporter on the scene.
Those in attendance then heard from local schoolboy and Piper Cooper Wells, as he performed for the Princess.
Earlier in the day, the Princess Royal had visited MacRebur- a local business specialising in incorporating waste plastics for use in creating and repairing roads.
“It was a great honour to represent Tundergarth Kirks Trust during the Princess Royal’s visit to Lockerbie. Her Royal Highness was very interested in the work we are doing at Tundergarth- not just to preserve our iconic sites, but also our plans to develop a memorial museum.
“I was also able to present our booklet containing our work to date and our museum project plans. We are keen to keep the Royals informed of our developments at Tundergarth, as King Charles visited Lockerbie in the aftermath of the bombing and is known to take a real interest in projects that support rural communities.”
-Ian McLatchie, Trustee, Tundergarth Kirks Trust
Syracuse University Students Visit Tundergarth Iconic Sites
A group of students from Syracuse University, who are currently studying at the London campus, have enjoyed a special tour around Tundergarth’s iconic sites. Tundergarth Kirks Trust Interim-Chair, Lori Carnochan, hosted the 19 students and their teaching lead, Dr Becca Farnum, as part of their weekend visit to Lockerbie. The group spent a couple of hours on site at Tundergarth, beginning with a tour inside the 1900 church. The church was a former Church of Scotland building, before it was bought by Tundergarth Kirks Trust in 2020. The Trust was established in a bid to save the Church from falling into private ownership after it was earmarked as one of many churches that could potentially be sold.
Inside the church, the students were shown the beautiful stained glass windows, the stunning architecture and stonemasonry. They were also informed about major storm damage which took place during the Winter months, and caused significant damage both internally and externally. The church is about to undergo a large repair project to ensure that the building is watertight- beginning with roofing and repointing works. The students were taken outside of the church, where they could view the massive scaffolding that’s been erected in order to begin the repairs. Tundergarth Kirks Trust Trustee, Ian McLatchie, offered an insight into the remedial works, including the installation of multiple heavy-duty tarpaulins to shelter the building from the elements. Fellow Trustee and local resident, Kirsty Boardman, was also on hand to answer any questions from the students.
Lori then spoke to the students about the significance of Tundergarth church, and why it is such a sacred place to so many. The church sits adjacent to the field where the nose cone of Pan Am Flight 103 crashed, after it was blown up above the skies of Lockerbie on December 21st 1988. All 259 passengers and crew on board were killed in the bombing, as well as 11 Lockerbie residents on the ground. Among those killed were 35 Syracuse University students. In the years following the terrorist attack, which is still the deadliest in UK history, and the second deadliest against American civillians, an exchange programme was established between Syracuse University and Lockerbie Academy. Each year, two students from Lockerbie Academy spend a term studying at Syracuse University, where they strengthen connections between the two communities. Every year since 1990, 35 Syracuse University students have been chosen as Remembrance Scholars, in honour of the victims.
The group was then taken to the Remembrance Room, which was opened in 1990 as a memorial to those killed in the Lockerbie bombing. The room is currently being run and maintained by Tundergarth Kirks Trust, and has been developed into a modern and tranquil place of Remembrance. In partnership with the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Foundation, the Trust unveiled a set of six coloured banners, showing headshots of almost every victim. There are also two computers inside the room, where visitors can become educated about the attack, visit the Living Memorial pages, where every victim has a biography, and leave tributes for loved ones. The students were visibly moved by their visit inside the Remembrance Room, with sentiments like “beautiful, “peaceful” and “poignant” echoing around the walls.
Finally, the group made their way outside to view the site of the 1771 Old Kirk Ruins. Here, they learned about the ambitious plans to create the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy Museum. The museum will serve as a dedicated space to not only commemorate those who were killed, but educate visitors about the Lockerbie bombing. It will also be a space where stories can be shared from the incredible townsfolk who worked in the aftermath, the hometown heroes and the survivors. The students heard about the archaeological interest of the site- with some experts suggesting that a medieval church may lie beneath the foundations. The museum will be a blend between historic and contemporary, and will celebrate the former church’s rich historic past. The site is currently owned by Dumfries and Galloway Council, but is in the process of being transferred to Tundergarth Kirks Trust as part of a Community Asset Transfer, along with the Remembrance Room.
The group then had some time to visit the graves of John Binning Cummock, Helga Rachael Mosey and Tomas Floro Van Tienhoven- the three victims who are buried within the cemetery at Tundergarth.
In the evening, Ian and Lori joined the Syracuse University London group alongside the Right Honourable David Mundell MP, Stuart Cossar MBE and other local dignitaries for an evening reception at the Somerton Hotel. The weekend concluded with a climb up one of the region’s most iconic landmarks, Grey Mare’s Tail, before the group made their journey back to London.
“This was a really special weekend for us all. It was a privilege to host the students and Dr Farnum in Lockerbie, and they were clearly very moved by their visit to our iconic sites at Tundergarth. We class Syracuse University as the Gold Standard in terms of their remembrance work, and this visit has really strengthened our relationship with the students and university, to ensure our combined history is never forgotten.
“We are already looking forward to hosting the next intake of SU London students, and our door is always open for anybody who’d like to come and learn about the extremely important work we are doing at Tundergarth.”
-Lori Carnochan, Interim-Chair, Tundergarth Kirks Trust
Tundergarth Kirks Trust AGM
Notice of Annual General Meeting
To all members of Tundergarth Kirks Trust
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting of Tundergarth Kirks Trust, will be held on:
Sunday 3rd September
at 7pm
at
Tundergarth Church, Lockerbie DG11 2PU
Members can also attend remotely via a digital link if preferred and this will be sent out via email on the morning of the AGM.
AGENDA
1. Welcome. Approval of previous AGM minutes
2. Report of the Chair
3. Treasurer’s Report and Approval of Accounts
4. Election of Directors
5. Any other Competent Business
6. Close of Business
We invite you to stay for tea, coffee and cakes following our meeting.
YOUR SUPPORT IS VITAL AND APPRECIATED
Syracuse University Hendricks Chapel Choir Performs in Remembrance of Pan Am Flight 103 Lockerbie Bombing Victims at Tundergarth Church in Lockerbie, Scotland
On Sunday, May 21, 2023, Tundergarth Kirks Trust welcomed Syracuse University’s Hendricks Chapel Choir for a special remembrance concert. To commemorate the 35 Syracuse University students who were killed in the bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, 35 members of the Chapel Choir performed for the congregation in Tundergarth Church and later joined the University’s Wind Ensemble performance in Lockerbie Town Hall.
This service and concert, which was supported by the Pan Am 103 Lockerbie Legacy foundation, was a chance to honour all 270 victims, including 11 Lockerbie residents, who lost their lives in the terrorist attack on December 21, 1988.
This year marks the 35th anniversary of the bombing, and the visit further strengthened the bond that has formed between Syracuse University and Lockerbie over the last three decades.
Reverend Brian Konkol, Dean of Hendrick’s Chapel, encapsulated the occasion during his opening address and reflection about “this never-ending love story…. which is still evidenced among all present today.”
Read Tundergarth Church Order of Service.
You can watch highlights of the Choir’s visit to Tundergarth Church below.
Tundergarth Kirks Trust 