Building record MAB9072 - SPEYMOUTH PARISH CHURCH

Former Parish Church, set within a walled churchyard, no longer in ecclesiastical use.

Former Parish Church, set within a walled churchyard, no longer in ecclesiastical use. It was built between 1732-1733 by James Ogilvie, who designed the church with the minister. It was opened in 1733 following the union of Dipple, Essil, and Garmouth into one parish in 1731. The church was enlarged between 1798-1799 by Alexander Thompson, renovated in 1885, and the northeast re-entrant angle was filled by a hall between 2003-2004. The harl was renewed in 1986.

Made of local red sandstone and harled pink, it is often called the Red Kirk. It is a Georgian oblong shape, with a north aisle, and a new hall added to the north side with a gallery. There is a bellcote dated 1733 at the west gable apex. There are four long round-head windows in the south elevation, flanked by a round-headed doorway in each outer bay. The end gables are each lit by a circular gallery window from 1885, and by round-headed ground floor windows. The windows have Y-tracery and leaded glazing, and there is a local slate roof. A late-19th Century cast-iron drinking fountain mural is at the west gable, made by I. Kennedy of Kilmarnock. A rubble wall surrounds the church. There is a pair of simple gate piers with pyramidal caps supporting a pair of cast-iron gates at the south.

Inside, there is a traditional lay-out that has been retained through refurbishment in 1885, and it was re-roofed in 1991. There is a central pulpit on the south wall and a small mural sundial. Set into the side of the pulpit is a memorial plaque commemorating those who lost their lives in World War I. The semi-hexagonal panelled gallery has stencil decoration and is supported by slender cast-iron columns with decorative painted capitals.

A 4-panel pew-back dated 1634 from old Dipple parish church (MAB8697) is hung on the west wall, carved with armorials, text, and initials. It was gifted to the church by Miss I. Shand in 1934. The initials are VH and LI for Walter Hay of Redhall and Lilian Innes, who were married in 1692. The inscription reads 'Creat in me a clean hart O God and renue a right spirit with in me. Erecit be Valter Hay and L Innes his spous 1634'.

HOWAT, AJ, 1901, CHURCHES IN MORAY, 47 (Bibliographic reference). SAB729.

HAY, G., 1957, THE ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTTISH POST-REF CHURCHES, 197,267,PL32c (Bibliographic reference). SAB720.

COLVIN, H, 1978, BIOG DICT OF BRIT ARCHITECTS, 600 (Bibliographic reference). SAB270.

MCKEAN, C, 1987, MORAY: AN ILLUSTRATED ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE, 111 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1142.

Jul 19 2015 , AAS-GR-15-07-125, AAS-GR-15-07-125 (Ground Photograph). SAB30893.

Author unknown, n.d., NSA, XIII(1845) 58 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.

Record last edited

Aug 13 2026 10:48AM