Cray Church - Glen Shee, Perth & Kinross, Scotland
Posted by: 
creg-ny-baa
N 56° 45.387 W 003° 23.764
30V E 475782 N 6290345
Former church in a derelict state, on the roadside in the hamlet of Cray, in Glen Shee in Highland Perthshire, Scotland.
Waymark Code: WMZG4J
Location: Northern Scotland, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/06/2018
Views: 2
The tiny hamlet of Cray is situated in Glen Shee, Perthshire, around half a mile from the border with the county of Angus. It lies only a few hundred yards from the end of the B951 road as it reaches the A93 in the glen. Prominent on the road as it heads through the hamlet is the former church with its tower, now no longer fit for purpose.
Built in 1844 as the Cray United Free Church, it is a rectangular plan, rubble-built in a plain gothic style. In 1864 the tower at the eastern end on the roadside was added along with a pyramid slated roof. This housed a 29 inch diameter bell cast by Vickers & Co.
The church merged with Glenshee Parish and eventually all services were conducted in the church at the Spittal of Glenshee five miles to the north up the A93. All fixtures were removed from the church, including the war memorials from World War I & II, which were moved to the churchyard in the Spittal of Glenshee in 2009.
Planning consent was given for the church to be converted into private housing, but nothing came of it and the building remains empty and on the list of buildings at risk register. Warnings are posted on the door at the foot of the tower regarding the safeness of the structure, but the building can be easily viewed from the road which passes close by.