Building record MAB12167 - COULL CHURCH

Church, built on or near the site of an earlier church, associated graveyard and mort house.

Church, built on or near the site of an earlier church, associated graveyard and mort house. The earlier Coull church was one of three churches (also Tullich (NO39NE0002) and Bethelnie (NJ73SE0006)) dedicated to St Nathalan after he returned from Rome in 7th century. The Kirk of Coull with lands and tithes was bestowed upon Abbey of Arbroath in 1188-99. Site not known but may be same as present church. The present Church was built in 1796 incorporating 17th century gable end and birdcage belfry, restored in 1876. Plain Neo-Classical-style Rectangular-plan church with four bays. Squared and tooled granite. Semicircular-arched windows. The Church Yard is a large rectangular area of ground which also containing church, standing on slightly raised ground above river floodplain. Tombstones bear name of local farms: Reekitlane, Titaboutie, Lochmanse, Boghead and Wester Coull. To the northeast corner of the churchyard stands square monument with marble plaques dedicated to Rev James Paterson, who died 1789. The grave slab of James Middleton, 1751, south of the church, is boldly carved with death motifs including an hourglass, winged angels, crossed bones and skull. Similar carving at Lumphanan and Tarland churchyards suggest work of the same mason. There is also a single storey, rectangular plan, gabled mort house of 19th century date. It is constructed of roughly tooled, squared granite with a turfed roof. A hollowed granite boulder with a hole at the bottom is within the east wall of the church boiler shed. The churchyard contains two Second World War Commonwealth war graves. An inventory of the church fittings and contents was carried out in 2025. These include A World War I memorial, a curved wooden plaque dedicated to local men killed in the war, and a granite memorial dedicated to the member of the parish who fell in the Second World War.

Period Notes
Founded by St Nathalan in 7thC, first recorded in 12thC belonging to Arbroath Abbey. Present church re-uses birdcage belfry and 1642 bell. Current church built 1798. Interior refurnished 1925. (These dates were in notes but have no explanation as to what they mean. They do not match up with current info on this site. - 1250, 1275, 1453-4, 1574. Present church erected 1790.) Listed 25/11/1980.

JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 415 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.

RITCHIE, J, 1912, PSAS 46(1911-12) 285-302, 317-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1516.

SCOTT, A. B., 1918, THE PICTISH NATION, ITS PEOPLE & ITS CHURCH, 301 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1619.

SCOTT, H, 1950, FASTI ECCLES SCOT, 89 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1806.

HAY, G., 1957, THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES, 242 (Bibliographic reference). SAB720.

EELES, FC, 1957, THE CHURCH AND OTHER BELLS OF ABERDEENSHIRE PSAS 90 (1956-7) 130-60, p.141 (Bibliographic reference). SAB490.

Author unknown, n.d., THE DEESIDE FIELD, pp16-19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2430.

Nov 29 1994 , C 40700, C 40700 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20449.

Sep 1 1998 , AAS/GR/98/CT01-05, AAS/GR/98/CT01-05 (Ground Photograph). SAB33075.

Sep 19 2015 , AAS-GR-15-09-021 - 084, AAS-GR-15-09-021 - 084 (Ground Photograph). SAB35803.

Record last edited

Jul 8 2025 8:43AM