Building record MAB26263 - BANCHORY-DEVENICK CHURCH
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Summary
Former Banchory-Devenick Parish church (also known as St. Devenick's Church), built on the site of earlier churches.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 2861
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 9069 0246 (112m by 67m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ90SW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Banchory Devenick |
Type and Period (6)
- CHURCH? (Early Medieval to Medieval - 400 AD to 1560 AD)
- CHURCH (17th Century - 1642 AD to 1642 AD)
- GRAVE (World War 1 to World War 2 - 1914 AD to 1945 AD)
- CHURCH (19th Century to 20th Century - 1822 AD to 1925 AD)
- CHURCHYARD (19th Century - 1822 AD to 1822 AD)
- GRAVE (Early Medieval - 887 AD to 887 AD)
Full Description
A post-reformation church is recorded as having been built on this site in 1642 but is said to have been built on an even earlier church site. St. Devenick, an early Christian missionary, is thought to have been buried on, or near, this site on 13 November 887 AD.
The present church was built in 1822, for which John Smith submitted designs which were not adopted, and opened on 29 September 1822. The church is oblong in plan, constructed of harled rubble with granite detailing stones, including a base course, quoin strips, and window and door surrounds. The double pitch roof is slated. The west gable has a small gabled porch with a rectangular door in the north and south faces, and a narrow lancet window in the west face. Above the porch is a wide lancet window with simple tracery and clear glass. On the apex of the gable is a rectangular bellcote with a ball finial and a tall metal weathervane. The south elevation has four lancet windows with Y-tracery. The east gable has a single large lancet window with intersecting tracery. The north elevation has a small hipped-roof extension used as a store. There are also small lancet windows at the west and east ends of the north elevation. Alterations were carried out in 1865, and the church was restored in 1902 and 1925.
Behind the church is a small watch house (MAB26250). Three memorials from the church have been affixed to the outside wall of the watchhouse. Two are WWI memorials, the other (a brass plaque) probably dates to WWII. Within the churchyard is the Commonwealth war grave of Lance Corporal J. Lawrie, Highland Light Infantry.
Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, (1838) 185 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.
HENDERSON, JA, 1890, HIST, PAR OF BANCHORY-DEVENICK, 39-41 (Bibliographic reference). SAB721.
HAY, G., 1957, THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES, 260 (Bibliographic reference). SAB720.
Jul 2 2014 , APP/2014/2417, APP/2014/2417 (Ground Photograph). SAB19003.
Jun 30 2014 , APP/3014/2418, APP/3014/2418 (Ground Photograph). SAB19004.
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, BANCHORY-DEVENICK 1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Sep 1 2014 , APP/2014/2417, APP/2014/2417 (Ground Photograph). SAB13546.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- NMR Card Number: NJ90SW8;
- NRHE Numlink: 20284;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ90SW0044;
External Links (3)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB2861 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.marycultertrinitychurch.org.uk/photos-from (Church of Scotland: Banchory-Devenick Memorials)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/20284 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (7)
- --- SAB13546 Ground Photograph: Sep 1 2014 . APP/2014/2417. Digital. APP/2014/2417.
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. BANCHORY-DEVENICK 1.
- --- SAB1839 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES. (1838) 185.
- --- SAB19003 Ground Photograph: Jul 2 2014 . APP/2014/2417. Digital. APP/2014/2417.
- --- SAB19004 Ground Photograph: Jun 30 2014 . APP/3014/2418. Digital. APP/3014/2418.
- --- SAB720 Bibliographic reference: HAY, G.. 1957. THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES. N. N. 260.
- --- SAB721 Bibliographic reference: HENDERSON, JA. 1890. HIST, PAR OF BANCHORY-DEVENICK. 39-41.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Jul 17 2026 1:33PM