Building record MAB8703 - BELLIE KIRK, FOCHABERS

Georgian Church built to a design by architect John Baxter between 1795 and 1798.

Georgian Church built to a design by architect John Baxter between 1795 and 1798. There is a north facing rectangular 5 bay classical church with pedimented giant Roman Doric tetrastyle portico and steeple. Polished and tooled ashlar sandstone is used throughout. There is a square clock stage that rises behind the portico with the northfacing clock face dated 1798 and with an oculus in each remaining face and angle urns. The octagonal belfry has louvred or blind segmental headed openings in each face. There is a facetted spire with three diminishing sets of oval lucarnes in alternate facets. There is a copper weathervane with missing pointers. There is a 5-bay front with pronounced projecting 3-window bowed centre bay, a moulded cornice, an apse on the south side and a piended platform slate roof. There are three doors within the portico with radial fanlights. There is regular fenestration. The gallery windows are shorter than those on the ground floor, and there are some blind windows in the east and west return gables. Multi-pane glazing is used. There are also long windows over short blind panels in the ground floor. It superseded the Old Kirk (NJ36SE0005), which was demolished, in Bellie Kirkyard. It was planned and built as the architectural centrepiece of Fochabers by the 4th Duke of Gordon. There is a galleried interior, which was possibly re-furnished circa 1830 by architect Archibald Simpson. There are galleries at the east and west that are supported by Greek Doric columns and keystoned detailing to the panelled fronts. The entrance lobby has mirrored gallery stairs, and there are doorways to the left and right into the church. The original layout was with centre communion tables, probably removed when building was recast in 1840s, and an octagonal panelled pulpit on a square base supported by stumpy fluted columns and reached by short flight of wooden stairs with simple balustrade which is placed in the south bay window. There is no back-board nor sounding-board. Later alterations reverted to the original layout, though the present pulpit appears reduced in height. The seating layout has minor alterations and the communion tables are missing. There is coffered detailing to the pew ends. There is a later organ in the south bowed bay. The Manse building is next door to the Church to the west (NJ35NW0019), and to the east side of the Church there is what was originally the town hall and school.

Period Notes
Built in 1795-8 and the interior was renovated circa 1840. Designated 26/01/1971.

Hume, JR, 1977, Industrial Archaeology of Scotland, 4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB730.

MCKEAN, C, 1987, MORAY: AN ILLUSTRATED ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE, 117 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1142.

Aug 5 2003 , AAS-GR-03-08-002 - 006, AAS-GR-03-08-002 - 006 (Ground Photograph). SAB36082.

Jun 27 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-224 - 237, AAS-GR-15-06-224 - 237 (Ground Photograph). SAB30905.

Jun 27 2015 , AAS-GR-15-06-390, AAS-GR-15-06-390 (Ground Photograph). SAB30890.

May 20 1986 , FT 22,25, FT 22,25 (Ground Photograph). SAB30662.

Record last edited

Sep 5 2022 11:45AM