Building record MAB18198 - KINKELL CHURCH

Remains of a late medieval church built in 1538, probably on the site of an earlier church, and associated graveyard.

Remains of a late medieval church built in 1538, probably on the site of an earlier church, and associated graveyard. The church measures about 22 m long and about 6 m wide, and has been abandoned as a place of worship since 1771 when it became roofless. Only the north wall and parts of the east, south and west walls of the church remain. The doorway was in the south wall. Although a church of Kinkell is recorded from the early 13th century, the present building, with its large four-light traceried east window, represents the result of a remodelling that occurred in the early 16th century. The north wall of the church contains an unusual sacrament house, bearing the date 1524 and the initials of Alexander Galloway, who is recorded as rector of Kinkell and canon of Aberdeen Cathedral in 1528. Another panel, carved with a representation of the Crucifixion and bearing the same initials (three times) and the date 1525, is now represented by a bronze replica set into the same wall, the original having been removed to Aberdeen Museum in 1934 and subsequently lost. Another of Canon Galloway's gifts to the church, the font, now stands in St John's Episcopal Church, Aberdeen. Also within the church is the monument, in the form of a knight effigy, of Gilbert de Greenlaw, killed at the battle of Harlaw in 1411. The stone was re-used for a Forbes burial in 1592 and is now displayed vertically to allow both sides to be seen. The church lies within a trapezoidal burial ground measuring a maximum of 50 m northwest-southeast by 40 m northeast-southwest and enclosed by a stone wall. An inventory of the carved stones at the church was carried out in 2013-14. Most may have come from the east window. Bogdan (2008) notes a 16th century tradition that the Knight's Hospitallers had a commandery at Kinkell, but concluded that there was no evidence to support this.

Period Notes
Prebend of St Machar in 1420; monument dated 1411; sacrament house dated 1524; church built 1538.

Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, VOL X(1932) 97-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.

WATT, AA, 1864, EARLY HISTORY OF KINTORE, 133-5, 144 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2013.

GIBB, A, 1877, SOME SUGGESTIONS AS TO OUR MURAL ANTIQUITIES. PSAS 12 (1876-7) 192-8, 192-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB608.

JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 304 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.

WALKER, JR, 1887, PSAS 21(1886-7) 346-8, 346-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2043.

SCOTT, H, 1950, FASTI ECCLES SCOT, 162-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1806.

EASSON, D, 1957, MEDIEVAL RELIGIOUS HOUSES: SCOTLAND, 131-3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB440.

CHILDE & SIMPSON, VG&WD, 1962, ANCIENT MONS OF SCOT. 4ED., 70 (Bibliographic reference). SAB225.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p.124-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

BOGDAN, N, 2008, EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB3811.

SINCLAIR KNIGHT MERZ (SKM), 2013, AN APPRAISAL OF POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF PROPOSED INVERURIE BYPASS ON KEITH HALL DESIGNED LANDSCAPE AND OTHER CULT HERIT FEATURES (Bibliographic reference). SAB1742.

ARCAHEOLOGY SCOTLAND, 2015, DISCOVERY AND EXCAVATION IN SCOTLAND. NEW SERIES, VOLUME 15, 2014, p.29 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5542.

Aug 7 2019 , AAS-GR-19-08-041 -044, AAS-GR-19-08-041 -044 (Ground Photograph). SAB35248.

Aug 8 1984 , BO 17-28, BO 17-28 (Ground Photograph). SAB14078.

Aug 8 1984 , BP 3-10, BP 3-10 (Ground Photograph). SAB14079.

Jan 1 1999 , D 59825, D 59825 (Ground Photograph). SAB20499.

Jul 17 2012 , HS-GR-12-007-001 - 004, HS-GR-12-007-001 - 004 (Ground Photograph). SAB20761.

Jun 1 2000 , D 59827 CN, D 59827 CN (Ground Photograph). SAB20501.

Jun 16 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-008 - 065, AAS-GR-15-06-008 - 065 (Ground Photograph). SAB20924.

Jun 16 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-071 - 084, AAS-GR-15-06-071 - 084 (Ground Photograph). SAB20925.

Mar 1 2011 , AAS/2011/2/DG3468-9, AAS/2011/2/DG3468-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13508.

Mar 17 1997 , D 49215, D 49215 (Ground Photograph). SAB20500.

Oct 7 1999 , D 50748 CS, D 50748 CS (Ground Photograph). SAB20498.

Record last edited

Aug 25 2025 8:58AM