Building record MAB37784 - ST MACHAR'S PARISH CHURCH, ABOYNE
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Summary
Stepped Perpendicular Gothic church built in 1842 to the designs of Archibald Simpson, and incorporating 1761 Huntly Vault and surrounded by associated graveyard.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 3116
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NO 5245 9830 (104m by 69m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NO59NW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Aboyne and Glentanar |
Type and Period (13)
- CHURCH (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- Belfry (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- CHURCHYARD (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- VAULT (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- Hall (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- Graveyard (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- GATE (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- GATE PIER (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- WALL (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- GRAVE (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- GRAVE (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- GRAVE (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
- Memorial (Post Medieval to World War 2 - 1561 AD to 1945 AD)
Full Description
Stepped Perpendicular Gothic church built in 1842 to the designs of Archibald Simpson, and incorporating 1761 Huntly Vault and surrounded by associated graveyard. Coursed tooled granite with finely finished dressings. Angle buttresses breaking eaves with coped pyramidal finial, and eaves cornice. Predominantly small-pane timber traceried windows. Grey slate roof with lead ridge. Coped stone skews. Two coped stacks to lean-to vestry. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Single storey plain gothic church hall to west of church. Built in 1902. Tooled coursed pink granite with some ladder snecking, finely finished to margins. Chamfered pointed-arched openings and timber eaves course. Predominantly square-pane leaded windows. Purple grey slate roof with lead ridge and two cast-iron ventilators. Coped stone skews with decorative finials. Cast-iron rainwater goods. The hall was used to cater for any overflow of evacuees during WWII coming in from Glasgow that couldn't be fitted into the nearby school. Recently converted to a business centre. The grave yard surrounding church enclosed by rubble boundary wall with pointed coping. Gates to east and west with square grey granite gatepiers, coped with ogee caps and spherical finials, pedestrian gateway to east with geometric ironwork gates. Within the graveyard are the Commonwealth war graves of Sergeant John Laverton Silver (RAF Volunteer Reserve) and Private James Calder (Royal Army Medical Corps). Set against the outside south wall of the church is a memorial commemorating those killed in World War I (NO59NW0073).
Period Notes
Parish Church built 1842; moved from Formaston to the green in 1707; incorporates 1761 Huntly vault; plan of heating layout 1936-7. Church Hall built 1902.
Listed 24/11/1972.
HAY, G., 1957, THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES, 242 (Bibliographic reference). SAB720.
EELES, FC, 1957, THE CHURCH AND OTHER BELLS OF ABERDEENSHIRE PSAS 90 (1956-7) 130-60, p.133 (Bibliographic reference). SAB490.
Apr 6 2015 , AAS-GR-15-04-022, 023, AAS-GR-15-04-022, 023 (Ground Photograph). SAB20923.
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ABOYNE 1 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Sep 19 2015 , AAS-GR-15-09-314 - 331, AAS-GR-15-09-314 - 331 (Ground Photograph). SAB35834.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HAMP Asset: HA0116;
- HES Listed Building Number: 3116;
- Local Government Guardianship;
- NMR Card Number: NO59NW69;
- NRHE Numlink: 181578;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NO59NW0040;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB3116 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/181578 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (5)
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. ABOYNE 1.
- --- SAB20923 Ground Photograph: Apr 6 2015 . AAS-GR-15-04-022, 023. Digital. AAS-GR-15-04-022, 023.
- --- SAB35834 Ground Photograph: Sep 19 2015 . AAS-GR-15-09-314 - 331. Digital. AAS-GR-15-09-314 - 331.
- --- SAB490 Bibliographic reference: EELES, FC. 1957. THE CHURCH AND OTHER BELLS OF ABERDEENSHIRE PSAS 90 (1956-7) 130-60. Y. p.133.
- --- SAB720 Bibliographic reference: HAY, G.. 1957. THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES. N. N. 242.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Nov 13 2025 3:24PM
