Building record MAB17281 - ALVAH CHURCH

Former Parish church, no longer in ecclesiastical use, and associated graveyard.

Former Parish church, no longer in ecclesiastical use, and associated graveyard. It was built in 1792 near the site of its predecessor, which was pulled down at the time the present church was erected. The date the earlier church was built is unknown, however a stone bearing the date '1529' is recorded as being built into the graveyard wall in 1867, although a visit by OS in 1961 was unable to locate the stone. The present church has a re-used bellcote from 1643, which once housed a bell that was cast by Peter Jansen and dated 1645. The bell is now in Banff and Alvah Church. The church was renovated in 1882, with additions and alterations probably by A. and W. Reid of Elgin in circa 1900. It is shown on the 1st edition OS map as a rectangular church within an irregular L-plan graveyard. On the 2nd edition OS map the church has been altered to L-plan, and a projection added to the west end elevation. The four-bay church has a gabled porch to west and later vestry addition (1882) adjoining at right angles to north. It is harled with ashlar margins, and Turriff sandstone dressings to vestry. The ashlar birdcage bellcote is on the west elevation. It is dated '1645' and features round-arched openings, a stepped pyramidal roof and a ball finial. Set into the south elevation are various memorials, including an early-18th century memorial to the Ogilvy family in the form of a plaque flanked by engaged composite columns, with a cornice and shaped pediment surmounted by an urn. There is a plaque with the Ogilvy arms on the east elevation. The later vestry on the north elevation is lower, and features ball finialled gables. The interior was remodelled in circa 1880. There is a panelled pulpit to the south, low arcaded timber screens and a gallery supported by cast-iron columns. The graveyard has ashlar gablet-coped retaining walls with various repairs. There are gatepiers and cast and wrought-iron gates to the east and west with fleur-de-lys finials. There are some gravestones dating to the 18th century. Within the graveyard there is the Ogilvy Burial Enclosure, which is in an Egyptian-style, square in plan and walled. It is constructed from harled rubble with ashlar dressings, and has a base course, eaves course and coping. It has a battered doorway in an advanced, pedimented panel incorporating heraldic bearing, and there are uncarved acroteria to the pediment and corners. Alvah War Memorial stands within the graveyard (NJ66SE0110). The church has not been in regular ecclesiastical use since 1950, and was closed in 1973. A Level 1 Standing Building Survey was carried out in December 2016 by Murray Archaeological Services Ltd prior to alterations. The site of the old church is suggested as possibly being in an area of markedly uneven ground to the south of the present church. Some of the panes in the windows contain original glass. The plaque on the east elevation is very worn, but probably has the Ogilvy crest of lion rampant, and other sources date it to the 16th century and record that it originally has the initialled 'I.M' and 'G.M'.

Period Notes
Date of previous church unknown, however a stone dated '1529' is recorded in 1867, now lost. The bellcote is dated 1643, and is re-used on the present church. It once contained a bell dated 1645. The present church was built in 1792, at which time its predecessor was demolished. It was renovated in 1882 with additions and alterations in circa 1900. The church has not been in regular ecclesiastical use since 1950, and was closed in 1973. It was listed on 22/02/1972.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No2(1867) 21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

MURRAY ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES, 2016, FORMER PARSH CHURCH, ALVAH, BANFF: STANDING BUILDING SURVEY, SBS (Bibliographic reference). SAB7295.

ARCHAEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2018, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND, VOLUME 18, 2017, p. 11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB6463.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ALVAH 1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Sep 5 2023 , PUB-GR-23-12-003 - 006, PUB-GR-23-12-003 - 006 (Ground Photograph). SAB36640.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2025 2:38PM