A “significant step forward” has been taken to safeguard the long-term future of a Dumfriesshire museum at the site of the world’s first savings bank.
Dumfries-born Professor David Thomson and his wife, Teresa Church, are set to take over Ruthwell Savings Bank Museum after owners TSB agreed, in principle, to transfer the building and its contents to Comlongon Estate Limited which is owned by the couple.
The move follows the pair recently buying Comlongon Castle at Clarencefield.
They have pledged “significant investment to improve, consolidate and expand the visitor experience at the museum” which is on the site of the original Ruthwell Parish Bank which the Reverend Henry Duncan founded in 1810.
Professor Thomson said: “It was never our intention to take on the museum but having recently acquired Comlongon Castle, which has a historical relationship with the Savings Banks Museum and Henry Duncan, we re-considered our position when approached by several parties.
“We believe that much could be achieved by reuniting these three cornerstones of local history.
“Now that this proposal has been agreed in principle by all parties, we can start work on securing and enhancing the museum’s long-term future and we look forward to doing so.”
Final terms are being discussed but the agreement in principle with the TSB is being hailed by the community group who have been working for months behind the scenes to find a solution as “a significant step forward in safeguarding the museum’s long-term future in Ruthwell”.
TSB spokesperson Andrew McIntyre said: “We are delighted to have reached an agreement with Comlongon Estate Limited.
“We remain proud of TSB’s heritage and are grateful to David, Teresa and the local community for working collaboratively to find an agreeable way to celebrate the life of Henry Duncan.”
The museum charts the life of the minister who was also responsible for the restoration of the Ruthwell Cross and founded the Dumfries and Galloway Standard.
Until the Covid-19 pandemic struck, it was open part-time by two staff members and attracted visitors from around the world to the small rural village.
A decision by the current owners, TSB, to permanently shut the tourist attraction and move the contents to Edinburgh sparked an angry backlash earlier this year.
And bank bosses subsequently agreed to transfer it to the community and a working group was set up.
Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell, who campaigned to keep the savings bank collection at its original home, said: “Now that David and Teresa have acquired Comlongon Castle, also in Ruthwell Parish, with all its connections to Henry Duncan, their custodianship of the savings bank appears almost a perfect solution.”
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth, who also campaigned to save it from closure added: “David and Teresa have such a fabulous track record of creating world class visitor attractions that do justice to our local history and I am grateful for their commitment to the future of the museum.”
