Building record MAB10192 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, AUCHINDOIR

Remains of a church, dating from the 13th century, and associated graveyard.

Remains of a church, dating from the 13th century, and associated graveyard. The church was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin or St Mary and is first noted in records from the 1230s. It was remodelled in the early 16th century and a sacrament house, carved to look like a monstrance, inserted into a lancet window. It was in use until the early 19th century when the later parish church, to the east, replaced it (NJ42SE0035). The church is aligned approximately east-west, measuring circa 17.1m by 7.6m, and was built using coursed granite rubble blocks with small packing pieces. Ashlar sandstone is used for window and door surrounds, as well as for most of the carved work. The south elevation has numerous doorways and windows, including two 17th century windows. There are three doorways. The most outstanding is the original 13th century doorway towards the west end, a fine example of work from this period, the high point of Scottish medieval stone-mason work. Its hood moulding is decorated with dogtooth carvings that surround the plain round-headed mouldings of the opening. In the centre of the elevation are two rectangular doorways, narrower, more plain and likely later than the 13th century doorway. They have simple jambs and a rectangular window opening above. The central doorway has a small, ogee-curved panel with the initials MAS, date 1658 and a weathered Latin inscription. There is a large rectangular window at the east end. A number of carved stone panels and stones are preserved at the east end, protected by a modern perspex shelter. Socket holes in the west gable suggest there was a small gallery or loft at this end. The bellcote is dated 1664: it was repaired in 1785 and unroofed 1810-11. Throughout the interior there are several later burials with gravestones, mostly attached to the walls, and also the Gordon coat of arms 1557. Six panels from the pulpit are preserved at Clova House. The church is surrounded by a small graveyard with numerous 17th - 19th century stones. The churchyard walls are of 18th century date with two sets of ball capped gatepier, although the ball finials are missing from the southern gatepiers. A more recent cemetery extension is alongside to the east. Four mason marks of four different masons were recorded in 2009 by the Masons' mark Project.

Period Notes
Built 13thC and mentioned in 1236; early 16thC remodel; coat-of-arms 1557; 16thC sacrament housegrave slab 1580; 17thC details; belfry dated 1664; unroofed 1810-11; kirkyard walled dated 18thC.

AB 2363/21, AB 2363/21 (Ground Photograph). SAB12985.

D 47237,43,51,65,75 CN, D 47237,43,51,65,75 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB12984.

D 59855 CN, D 59855 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB12987.

E 45285 CN, E 45285 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB12986.

JERVISE, A, 1870, PSAS 8(1869-70) 323-330, 329 (Bibliographic reference). SAB890.

JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 208 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.

MACPHERSON, A, 1891, PSAS 26(1890-1) 89-117, 105-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1183.

MACGIBBON, T, 1896, ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND 1, 281-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1141.

SIMPSON, WD, 1930, PSAS 64(1929-30) 48-95, 59-70 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1657.

SIMPSON, WD, 1932, PSAS 66(1931-32) 86-107, 99 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1660.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 126 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

Jan 1 1986 , AAS/GR/86/CT10,15,19,23, AAS/GR/86/CT10,15,19,23 (Ground Photograph). SAB32669.

Jan 28 1997 , AAS/97/02/CT26-7, 32, AAS/97/02/CT26-7, 32 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19697.

Jan 28 1997 , AAS/97/02/G4/1-4, AAS/97/02/G4/1-4 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16613.

Jul 12 1993 , SC 976560, SC 976560 (Ground Photograph). SAB12988.

Jun 18 1986 , GE 1-15, GE 1-15 (Ground Photograph). SAB12786.

Jun 18 1986 , GF 1-10, GF 1-10 (Ground Photograph). SAB12787.

May 10 2017 , AAS-GR-17-05-030 - 171, AAS-GR-17-05-030 - 171 (Ground Photograph). SAB35579.

May 12 2018 , AAS-GR-18-05-005 - 022, AAS-GR-18-05-005 - 022 (Ground Photograph). SAB35442.

May 24 2022 , AAS-GR-22-05-109 - 113, AAS-GR-22-05-109 - 113 (Ground Photograph). SAB35967.

Sep 6 1954 , A 355, A 355 (Ground Photograph). SAB12785.

Record last edited

Apr 9 2026 2:34PM