Building record MAB33897 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, CLOVA

Church, still in ecclesiastical use, and graveyard.

Church, still in ecclesiastical use, and graveyard. The present church at Clova was built in 1855 on the site of the earlier parish church of Clova, which was dedicated to St Mary. The earlier church was united with Cortachy in 1608. On the erection of the modern church the 'jougs' of the old church were sent to National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh. The present church was in use as a parish church until recently, and since 2006 has been in use as a community church. There is no trace of the former church, though it would appear to have been smaller and squarer in shape, as depicted on the 1st edition OS map (circa 1846). The church and original graveyard are situated on a mound, enclosed by a rubble retaining wall. It is a single-storey, four-bay, gabled church, oriented roughly East/West. There is roughly squared, Aberdeen-bonded granite to the principal elevations, and granite rubble elsewhere, with stugged red sandstone ashlar dressings. There are long and short quoins and window margins, and projecting window cills. The long South elevation has four lattice glazed rectangular windows, and there is a single window of the same style on the East gable. The North elevation is plain, with no windows. The West gable has a later central timber gabled porch, with a two-pane window on the West elevation, and an entrance to the South. At the West gable apex is a birdcage bellcote, and there is a cross stone finial to the East gable apex. There are ashlar-coped skews, and a graded Scottish slate roof with metal flashings. Inside, there is a timber-boarded dado, and the East gable window has stained glass. The graveyard is enclosed by random rubble boundary/retaining, wall with an iron gate. The enclosing wall is roughly rectangular, but has a curved corner to the South-West. The graveyard has been extended to the South, in a fenced-off enclosed area. The graveyard includes mostly 19th century, and some 18th century gravestones, and is still in use.

Period Notes
Present church dated 1855, on the site of an earlier church, with a 20th century porch addition. It was listed on 11/06/1971.

MS/329, MS/329 (Photograph). SAB25773.

WARDEN, A. J., 1880-85, ANGUS OR FORFARSHIRE: THE LAND & PEOPLE, Vol. 3, 109-11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2086.

JERVISE, A., 1882, HISTORY & TRADITIONS OF THE LAND OF THE LINDSAYS, Book No. 15, 53 (Bibliographic reference). SAB901.

Feb 12 2008 , AAS/08/01/DG8515, AAS/08/01/DG8515 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB21285.

May 20 2008 , DG 8893-95, DG 8893-95 (Ground Photograph). SAB30055.

Record last edited

Sep 1 2016 1:04PM