{"id":167,"date":"2024-08-26T10:56:23","date_gmt":"2024-08-26T10:56:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caithness-walks.org.uk\/?p=167"},"modified":"2024-08-27T10:58:11","modified_gmt":"2024-08-27T10:58:11","slug":"wick-riverside-and-st-fergus-church","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caithness-walks.org.uk\/?p=167","title":{"rendered":"Wick Riverside and St.Fergus Church"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A walk along a section of the river Wick and a visit to St Fergus Church in Wick. The fountain is known as Smith’s Fountain and was constructed at the beginning of the 20th century with money donated by Ex- Provost William Paterson Smith. St Fergus is the patron Saint of Wick. This traditional Scottish Church was opened in 1830 and altered in 1993\/94 to form the ‘Arena’ Sanctuary upstairs. The ceiling is considered to be the widest unsupported ceiling in the north. The church is set to close at the end of 2024 due to dwindling congregations. The ruins are the remains of the former parish church , dedicated to St Fergus. By 1841, the Sinclair Aisle and the Dunbar Tomb were all that remained of the old church. Sinclairs’ Aisle is the ancient burial place of the Earls of Caithness, and Dunbars’ Tomb, the burial place of the family of Hemprigs. In the Dunbar Tomb is a 3-bay classical wall monument with stylised Corinthian columns; note the panels between the columns, with 2 depicting Father Time, and 1 of skeleton and coffin; at the top note the heraldic shield of Dunbar of Hempriggs and Ackergill coat-of-arms; and the trumpet-blowing angels resting on pediment, flanked by carved lion and carved figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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