Building record MAB5230 - ALVES PARISH CHURCH

Former Parish Church, built in 1878, replacing one of 1845.

Former Parish Church, built in 1878, replacing one of 1845. No longer in ecclesiastical use. Originally a Free Church, the earlier church was built in 1845, probably by John Urquhart, Forres, but was done so hurriedly and badly built that it was replaced by present church in 1878 at which time there was extensive interior refitting, the flat felt roof was replaced, a rear wing was built and the bell tower was added. This work was done by A and W Reid and Melvin. Only the side walls and the front remain of the original building. It is a rectangular church with a north facing entrance gable and long 3-bay east and west elevations. It is harled, with tooled and polished ashlar margins and dressings. The centre bay in the north gable is projecting as a tower, with a round-headed entrance leading to a recessed porch. There is a louvred opening second stage to the tower, with a square open balustraded bellcote with shaped angle finials above. The paired narrow bays flanking the entrance is delineated by shallow margined pilaster strips, clasping angles and supporting s simple entablature returning by one bay. There are two round-headed windows on each side of the porch, two in the gable head, and three similar windows to the east and west elevations. There is a large wheel window in the centre of the south-facing rear gable. Lattice-pane glazing is used, and there is a slate roof. The 1878 rear wing is a single storey, 4-bay gabled room, constructed from harl pointed rubble with tooled ashlar dressings, 12-pane glazing, a ridge stack and a slate roof. There is a galleried interior. The gallery is supported by slender cast-iron columns rising through the gallery to the ceiling, the centre portion of which is barrel vaulted longitudinally. There is an 1878 pine panelled front to the gallery, and an 1878 balustraded platform type pulpit reached by a flight of stairs. The position of the pulpit was moved from the north end of the church to the present position at the south during the 1878 refit. There are two bells by Michael Burgherhys Holland, dated 1637 and 1639, removed from old Alves parish church (NJ16SW0004) in 1978 and are now displayed in the church to commemorate the centenary of the building in its present form. The church also contains a World War I memorial and a plaque in memory of T. R. Miller. The church is enclosed by simple drystone rubble wall, with an entrance in the northeast corner flanked by square gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps, and a pair of cast-iron gates.

Period Notes
The present church was built in 1878, with an earlier church on the site built 1845 and subsequently demolished. The bell displayed internally is dated 1630, and was moved into the church in 1978. The site was designated on 25/04/1988.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 3 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 18/11/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Record last edited

Aug 5 2025 10:14AM