Building record MAB13427 - MILLTOWN OF ROTHIEMAY PARISH CHURCH

Church and graveyard.

Church and graveyard. The church was built in 1807 to replace the old church of the parish (MAB13348) and it was internally remodelled in 1872 by A. and W. Reid of Elgin. The earlier church stood in full view of Rothiemay House (MAB53078), but the Earl of Fife had both the church and churchyard removed in 1752 as it 'spoiled his view and privacy'.

The church is a small rectangular building with a pinned dark whinstone front and heavily pointed rubble flanks, with contrasting Avochie granite dressings. At the west gable apex is a birdcage belfry topped ball final housing a bell measuring circa 66 cm in diameter and dated 1880. There are four large, regular, round-headed windows that light the long south elevation, which are keystoned and have blocked imposts. There are similar smaller gallery windows in the east and west gables, each with a keystoned oculus above. Margined horizontal-pane glazing is used. There is a round-headed, keystoned entrance in the east gable, and there was probably a similar west entrance that was blocked by a later single-storey vestry with a weathervane on top.

There is a small, blocked entrance in the north wall, which is believed to originally be the main door of the earlier parish church. The doorway was a feature of Rothiemay Castle for two centuries, until it was placed here in 1959. It has a curved step on which stands a substantial stone font. It is an arched moulded round-headed doorway with an angel's head and wings carved onto a large keystone, and carved detailing to the base of the jambs. Directly above this is a blocked first floor doorway that would have given access to the gallery and would require an external stair. There is an apex finial at the east gable, and a local slate roof.

The interior has been remodelled on a traditional lay-out, with a rectangular pulpit in the centre of the south wall, and a 5-sided gallery with a panelled and arcaded front. A fragment of carved stone, possibly a pediment, stands in the entrance porch. The stone is dated 1672 and decorated with a carved star.

The graveyard is rubble walled, the wall coped at the east to the roadway with cast-iron railings. It contains tombstones of 18th and 19th Century, and later, date. They include a substantial memorial to the former Minister, who died in 1826, and Alexander Duff of Mayen who died in the early-19th Century. There are five Commonwealth War Graves within the burial ground.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 45 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

Record last edited

Jul 27 2026 8:23PM