Fire-ravaged Cumbernauld church to be rebuilt

A Cumbernauld church destroyed in a devastating fire last year will be rebuilt, the Church of Scotland has said.

The St Mungo's Church building - famed for having a pyramid roof - was left in ruins after a blaze broke out on 2 August 2025, leaving local residents and community groups who used the site stunned.

Parish minister Rev James Gemmell announced plans to build a new worship centre there during an open-air service at the site to mark the anniversary of the fire

The B-listed building was designed by Alan Reiach and was a landmark in the town centre since the 1960s.

At the recent service prayers were offered in thanksgiving for the people, churches and organisations who have supported the congregation over the past year, and for everyone who helped ministry and community outreach work to continue.

The Rev Gemmell said the new building will serve as a "beacon of Christ's love, hope and grace" in the heart of the North Lanarkshire town.

He said: "A year ago, we stood in shock as we watched our church building burn.

"We look forward to the day when a new church will stand on this site—a place where people will encounter the love of Jesus Christ, and a beacon of his hope and grace for our whole community."

St Mungo's was part of Trinity Parish Church, a union formed from Cumbernauld Old Church and Kildrum and St Mungo's churches in 2024.

In the aftermath of the fire residents told BBC Scotland News they feared the original landmarks and heritage of the town were disappearing, after several cases of fire and vandalism there.

The congregation has now formed a new group to co-ordinate the project and a specialist manager will be hired.

At the time of the fire, Caroline Noble, a volunteer with Cumbernauld and Carbrain Community Hub, said: "It's such an iconic building in Cumbernauld. Everyone was talking about it because it's just such a shock."

The community hub used the building for some bigger events or activities, including a weekly café offering free breakfasts, and was one of various groups that had to find alternative premises after the fire.

No-one has been charged in connection with the fire.