Building record MAB26684 - OLD PARISH CHURCH, PETTENS, BELHELVIE
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Summary
Graveyard, mort houses and remains of a church.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 2800
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 9694 1963 (64m by 50m) Centred at - Polygon: Unknown Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ91NE |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Belhelvie |
Type and Period (6)
- CHURCHYARD (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- CHURCH (First Mentioned 1157 AD, 12th Century to Modern - 1157 AD to 2050 AD)
- BELL (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- STOUP (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- HOUSE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
- GRAVE (12th Century to Modern - 1100 AD to 2050 AD)
Full Description
The Church of Belhelvie was dedicated to St. Neachtan, but later St. Columba was made the patron. The church was confirmed to the Bishop of Aberdeen in 1157, along with authority to erect his chapter. By 1256 the church had been erected into a prebend of the Aberdeen Cathedral, with the parochial duties being discharged by a vicar pensioner.
The church is now ruined but was a T-plan church, represented by a high west gable with a bellcote (dated 1762) and part of south aisle (containing a fine but weathered monument to the Innes of Blairton). The east wall of the church is probably part of the wall of a Roman Catholic Church. The bell which was in the bellcote was inscribed 'Henrick-ter-Horst-Me-Fecit-Daventriae-1633' and was stolen in 1966.
The churchyard is a rubble-walled enclosure. Within the churchyard are four Commonwealth war graves. A possible font found in a garden at Cowhill (MAB48013) has been suggested to be the missing holy stoup from this church. The cemetery is unusual in having two mort houses, one dated 1835 and constructed from granite. The other, possibly converted from an old aisle, is of uncertain date. It comprises a vaulted chamber measuring 2.5 m by circa 2 m, turfed and approached by five steps. The water stoup from the Medieval church was in the garden of Belhelvie Manse but there is now no trace of it. There is a tombstone of 1722 date in the angle of the masonry fragment of what may have been the south transept. There is also a heraldic tomb on the other side of the wall.
RITCHIE, J, 1912, PSAS 46(1911-12) 285-302, 314-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1516.
PIRIE, MF, 1935, DEESIDE FIELD, 65, 65 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1429.
SCOTT, H, 1950, FASTI ECCLES SCOT, No6, 46-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1806.
EELES, FC, 1957, THE CHURCH AND OTHER BELLS OF ABERDEENSHIRE PSAS 90 (1956-7) 130-60, pp.136-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB490.
GALLAGHER, D.B., 1994, ASSESSMENT A92 BALMEDIE TO TIPPERTY (Bibliographic reference). SAB673.
ASSESSMENT
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, BELHELVIE 1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, No12(1845) 244,247 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HAMP Asset: HA0260;
- HAMP Asset: HA0261;
- HAMP Asset: HA0262;
- HAMP Asset: HA0263;
- Local Government Guardianship;
- NMR Card Number: NJ91NE1;
- NRHE Numlink: 20286;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ91NE0001;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB2800 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/20286 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (7)
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. No12(1845) 244,247.
- --- SAB1429 Bibliographic reference: PIRIE, MF. 1935. DEESIDE FIELD, 65. 65.
- --- SAB1516 Bibliographic reference: RITCHIE, J. 1912. PSAS 46(1911-12) 285-302. 314-7.
- --- SAB1806 Bibliographic reference: SCOTT, H. 1950. FASTI ECCLES SCOT. Y. No6, 46-7.
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. BELHELVIE 1.
- --- SAB490 Bibliographic reference: EELES, FC. 1957. THE CHURCH AND OTHER BELLS OF ABERDEENSHIRE PSAS 90 (1956-7) 130-60. Y. pp.136-7.
- --- SAB673 Bibliographic reference: GALLAGHER, D.B.. 1994. ASSESSMENT A92 BALMEDIE TO TIPPERTY.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (1)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Jul 29 2026 11:30AM
