Building record MAB3212 - EDINKILLIE PARISH CHURCH

Church, still in ecclesiastical use, built in 1741 and improved in 1813, which sits on the footprint of a medieval church first mentioned in 1287.

Church, still in ecclesiastical use, built in 1741 and improved in 1813, which sits on the footprint of a medieval church first mentioned in 1287. It is a plain, oblong kirk, harled and cream-washed with ashlar corner strips and window surrounds. The roof is slated with small vents on the ridgeline. It has six square-headed windows on the south elevation and round arched window on the west and east elevations, a simple stone finial on the east apex and a small, ashlar built bellcote on the west gable. The bell is hung from a curved metal beam and rung via an external pull. The north elevation has a number of additional projecting bays, which appear to be of different dates. There are later single keystoned oculus in the outer bays. There are round-headed keystoned gallery windows with block imposts at each gable, and a mural memorial plaque at the base of the west gable. The interior is simple, almost severe, typical of many 18th and 19th century parish churches, with the traditional post-Reformation arrangement of the pulpit in the centre of the south wall and the communion table in front. It is a panelled demi-octagonal pulpit with a similarly shaped sounding board. The backboard is panelled and flanked by fluted pilasters. There are galleries on three sides, the north quite narrow and the central part now occupied by a large wooden-framed pipe organ installed in 1941. A baptismal basin was added in 1886. The pews are of plain pine, and there is simple shallow panelling to the gallery front. There is a simple pine dado to the entrance passage, which accommodates a re-set stone armorial dated possibly to 1666 and is initialled MD, possibly Mark Dunbar, with the Dunbar coat of arms, it also has a worn inscription. The churchyard is enclosed by a drystone wall, the entrance flanked by squat round rubble piers with round stone caps. There is a 19th century six-sided watch house, which is topped with a ball finial and sits against the south wall of the kirkyard. There is a centre door in the north face with flaking windows. The roof is facetted, and made using local slate. There is a rear wallhead stack. Set against the north side of the north wall of the churchyard is a war memorial commemorating members of the parish who were killed in the two world wars and in the Malayan Emergency. A rough hewn stone built structure, containing a recess flanked by columns, the shelf holding a stone basin, and the inner faces of the recess comprising plaques listing the names of those killed. The Forres News and Advertiser records that it was unveiled in 1921 by the Hon. Mrs Bruce, Dunphail. Moved to present location in 1989 from the A940 and Estate Access Road junction due to road widening. Full transcription of memorial held in AAS Digital Archive. Within the churchyard is a graveyard with an entrance flanked by squat round rubble piers with round stone caps. The tombstones date to the 18th and 19th centuries. There are three Commonwealth war graves within the churchyard.

Period Notes
It was built in 1741 and improved in 1813. The baptismal basin was added in 1886 and the war memorial was unveiled in October 1921 and moved to present location in 1989. Designation on 26/01/1971.

GR/07/AG/038/1-6/WM, GR/07/AG/038/1-6/WM (Ground Photograph). SAB32036.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 19 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

SHEPHERD, I, 1996, ABERDEEN AND NORTH-EAST SCOTLAND (2ND ED), p. 115 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4829.

Apr 30 2009 , AAS-GR-09-08-001 - 006, AAS-GR-09-08-001 - 006 (Ground Photograph). SAB33288.

Jul 1 1984 , BM 1-5, BM 1-5 (Ground Photograph). SAB33287.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, 1842 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 01/04/16 p.23 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 05/06/15 p.31 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 08/05/15 p.6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 28/10/16 p.25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Nov 23 2013 , AAS-GR-13-11-589 - 591, AAS-GR-13-11-589 - 591 (Ground Photograph). SAB35323.

Oct 27 2022 , PUB-GR-22-10-250 - 270, PUB-GR-22-10-250 - 270 (Ground Photograph). SAB36239.

Record last edited

Nov 17 2025 3:03PM