Outlander author calls for Inverness church not to be "destroyed" by commercial opportunities
Diana Gabaldon expressed her views on social media, after it was confirmed the Old High Church is up for sale.
The author of the famous 'Outlander' novels has joined calls for a historic Inverness site not to be sold for a commercial venture.
Diana Gabaldon expressed her views on social media, after it was confirmed the Old High Church is being put up for sale by the Church of Scotland.
Many fans of the historical fantasy series have also joined in with Diana's plea, as the church features in the books.
A Black Isle Outlander fan has also described the landmark as a "key location" for fans of the novels and TV series.
"It would be a great pity"
Re-tweeting a post which includes a link displaying the church for sale, Diana expressed her concerns.
She said: "It would be a great pity, if such an important part of Inverness/Highland history were to be destroyed.
"Perhaps the city of Inverness could team with the Trust for Scotland and find some way of making the site useful without turning it into purely commercial property?"
Caroline Keith, from fan group Inverness Outlanders, explained why the church is a must see with Outlander fans who travel from overseas.
She said: "The position we’re in now is just keeping our fingers crossed that whoever it is sold to will save its history for the community.
“What we wouldn’t like to see is it falling into hands where it would very much become a commercial venture.
“It does not appear in the TV series, but in the books it is referred to.
“In factual history, it was used as prison for Jacobite soldiers post Culloden.
“It is very much high on their agenda when they come to Inverness as being one of the key locations they want to visit.
“So from our perspective, as Outlander fans it has a big importance to us."
Outlander follows the story of a married English World War II combat nurse who mysteriously travels back in time to 18th century Jacobite Scotland.
She is forced to marry Scottish Highlander, Jamie Fraser, who she eventually falls in love with.
The early storylines follow the characters up to and beyond the Battle of Culloden in 1746, and the ninth book in the series ‘Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone’ is set in the US in 1779 and 1780 as the American Revolution enters its final phase.
Tickets for October's 'An Audience with Diana Gabaldon' at Eden Court are on sale here.