Building record MAB19869 - ST DONAN'S, AUCHTERLESS PARISH CHURCH

Parish church, remains of the former parish church and associated graveyard.

Parish church, remains of the former parish church and associated graveyard. The old church of Auchterless, dedicated to St Donan, is located within a large graveyard (at NJ8139741631) a short distance to the north of the later and current parish church (at NJ7136841581). It was built in 1780 and repaired and extended in the 1830s and is shown on the OS 1st edition map: it was replaced with the large parish church in 1879. An older church stood on the site, as shown by burial monuments of 1735 and 1763. The church was built in granite rubble with ashlar corner stones (quoins). Only the west gable is complete, with a small stretch of the north and east walls. The gable has a wide rectangular doorway with a relieving arch above. Inserted above the door at gallery level is a round-arched window. Mounted on the gable is an elaborate birdcage bellcote with ashlar uprights, small pinnacles and a larger central ball finial, and Jansen bell 1644. The present parish church was designed by William and John Smith, 1877-9, the spire completed by AHL Mackinnon 1896. It is a large Gothic church of pinned rubble with red sandstone dressings, with large hall and transepts to the E. The west window has plate tracery. Interior has a west gallery, hammerbeam roof and slim iron columns at the transepts. On the tower wall is an early 18th century tablet to Alex Ross, Minister of Auchterless, a grotesque head and a heart shaped sundial presumably from the previous church. The old part of the churchyard is rubble walled, the later part railed with red ashlar piers, probably by Smith 1877. The gravestones are mostly modern but with a considerable number dating from the late 17th century onward, many now turfed over. To the north of the ruined church stands the Duff of Hatton Mausoleum, built probably 1877, a small rectangular gabled building with pediment gables, urn pinnacles, varied finials (some of earlier date), marble coat of arms over the door and a round stained glass window. The burial ground contains the Commonwealth war grave of Flying Officer Herbert Stephen, RAF Volunteer Reserve.

Period Notes
Built after 1560; a ruin by 1780; bell dated 1644; memorial tablets 1735 & 1765; repairs 1832; aisle 1835; alterations 1864; gatepiers 1877. Listed 15/08/1982.

Author unknown, 1799, OLD STATISTICAL ACCOUNT, VOL 12, 307 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1845.

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.135 (Bibliographic reference). SAB490.

Aug 19 2022 , ABS-GR-22-08-026 - 039, ABS-GR-22-08-026 - 039 (Ground Photograph). SAB36371.

Feb 27 2017 , ABS-GR-17-02-001, ABS-GR-17-02-001 (Ground Photograph). SAB32408.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, AUCHTERLESS 2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, VOL 12, 288 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Record last edited

Jun 16 2025 2:41PM