Building record MAB3415 - ST JOHNS EPISCOPAL CHURCH, VICTORIA ROAD, FORRES

Church and rectory.

Church and rectory. The simple church was built in 1830-40 by Patrick Wilson, Edinburgh, and substantially altered, encased in Italianate style and refitted internally in 1844 by Thomas Mackenzie, Elgin. It is in a cruciform plan, oriented North/South. It has an ashlar frontage, dressings and belfry, with coursed rubble and harled flanks. There is an ashlar gable to the street, with a wheel window with flanking blind panels. There are outer giant pilasters flanking a full width pediment, which is supported by pilasters. There is a three-bay arcaded portico across the full width of the gable. To the East, there is a four-stage bell tower, with open balustraded arcades to the third and fourth stages. It has a shallow piended roof, with a corbelled eaves course and weathervane of St John's cross, which is surmounted by golden cockerel. The tower is linked to the East transept of the church by a flanking five-bay arcade similar to the portico. There are square windows set high in the wall to the aisle with simple circle sectioned tracery. There is a semi-circular apse with three stained-glass memorial windows, and round-headed paired lights to the East and West gables. It has deep eaves and a slate roof. Inside, there is a simple interior with plain walls, a flat coffered ceiling and a mosaic floor. There is oak seating and pulpit, and a brass altar rail and eagle lectern. There is a circular roof light at the crossing, and a latticed cast-iron balustrade to a narrow gallery at the South end of church. In the apse, there are mural paintings, including one depicting the Last Supper by William Hole (1907). There is further painting by the same artist at the font of Christ blessing little children (1911). The stained glass in the apse is by Barnett of Newcastle, and the three windows are in memory of Edward Dunbar of Seapark, Kinloss (d. 1858 aged 3). Sir Alexander Gordon-Cumming (d. 1868) and John Grant of Moy (d. 1867). Adjacent to the East of the church is a rectory, built in 1864. It is a two-storey building, with three asymmetrical bays and a centre door, and is constructed of coursed rubble with tooled ashlar dressings. There is a heavy bracketted cornice to front door, and a tripartite window to the West of the door, and a canted bay window to the East of the door in an advanced gabled bay. There are round-headed bipartites in the first floor, the Western one breaks the wallhead in a dormerhead, and the Eastern one within the advanced bay gable. There are single-storey, single-bay wings to the East and West. It has end stacks, deep eaves and slate roofs.

Period Notes
The church was built in 1839-41, with alterations in 1842-4. The rectory was built in 1864. Listed designation given on 26/01/1971.

GROOME, FH, 1884, ORDNANCE GAZETEER OF SCOTLAND, 1883,49 (Bibliographic reference). SAB603.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 154 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

Author unknown, n.d., FORRES GAZETTE, 5/7/1844 (Bibliographic reference). SAB523.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, VOL XIII,164-5 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Record last edited

Aug 8 2016 4:10PM