Church Overview

This cruciform church, with its five-bay nave, semi-octagonal chancel and 140ft tall octagonal spire with four lucarnes and weathervane finials, is a brilliant example of an Early English Gothic style miniature cathedral.

It was built from 1890-96 by Frances, Lady Kinnaird in memory of her late husband George, the 9th Lord Kinnaird and their three children, who had all predeceased the couple. The architect was Hippolyte J Blanc and the building was consecrated on the 22nd September 1896, when it was described in the newspapers at the time as “one of the most complete, most comfortable and most elegant ecclesiastical structures in the district.” 

It possesses a stunning interior of remarkable quality, with multiple Gothic arches and a fine hammerbeam roof with many sculpted corbels. The font and pulpit are designed by Carnegie and Son of Dundee and the high altar, made by Farmer and Brindley of London, has a beautiful Italian marble reredos and a magnificent full size alabaster crucifixion scene with an elaborate canopy overhead. There is also a fine brass lectern that Lord Kinnaird brought back from Florence.

The Lady Chapel contains an altar by Allardice and Napier that was relocated from Rossie Priory Chapel, which had closed after the death of Lord Kinnaird as his successor was not an Episcopalian. Around the church are fourteen sculptured Stations of the Cross and a beautiful embroidered wall-hanging, by local artists Judith Robinson and Gillian Ellis, was added to celebrate the centenary of consecration in 1996.

Services

Sundays at 10.30am and Wednesdays at 10.00am

Opening Arrangements

Open during daylight hours

Disclaimer

The information about churches in Scotland’s Churches Scheme has been provided by the congregations or taken from the Historic Scotland list and published sources, in particular, the Buildings of Scotland volumes and the RIAS Illustrated Architectural Guides. To contact this specific church please complete the Contact this Church form above. The information is not authoritative; please contact Scotland’s Churches Trust to let us know of any errors or omissions.