Description

CHURCH: James Smith (Nairn) and James Smith (Auldearn) with Colin Williamson, (extra contractor), 1781. Renovated 1952.

Rectangular church with symmetrical 6-bay S front elevation. Pinned rubble front, rubble flanks and rear; tooled and polished ashlar dressings. Wide square-headed entrances surmounted by tall round-headed keystoned windows in outer bays with 4 similar full length windows filling centre 4 bays; smaller gallery window in W gable only. All fenestration with blocked imposts, shutter hinges and multi-pane glazing.

Birdcage bellcote at W gable apex, ball finial at E. Slate roof with 2 ridge ventilators.

INTERIOR: original layout; gallery now ceiled. 3-decker pulpit in centre of S wall flanked by stairs with slender balusters (sounding board survives above present ceiling). 5-sided panelled gallery front with (1952) pews grouped around pulpit in ground floor and gallery. Entrance doors fitted with long iron hinges on inner face. 1613 tombstone re-set in SW entrance lobby; 1790 mural memorial under gallery.

CHURCH HALL: adapted from early-mid 18th century rectangular burial mausoleum, probably accommodated in earlier church aisle, linked to E gable of church by narrow corridor incorporating Gothic gabled porch (1855-60) presenting, with hall, a S facing irregular double gabled frontage. Tooled front, harl pointed rubble elsewhere with some re-used margins and ashlar dressings.

Mid 18th century, naive classical doorpiece flanked by engaged Ionic columns supporting entablature and extended bracketted cornice (possibly Colin Williamson of Dyke). Blind hoodmoulded Y-tracery window above doorpiece (probably re-used); later 19th century apex finial and skewputts at S; early 18th century run-off skewputts at rear.

3 narrow square-headed irregularly spaced windows in E elevation with chamfered or roll-moulded jambs, closed with iron bars and later lattice-pane glazing.

INTERIOR: mausoleum converted as hall and vestry (1948) and linked to church by corridor. 1446 tombstone set in vestry wall. Entrance via Gothic gabled porch closed.

BURIAL GROUND: dry stone walled burial ground surrounds church. 18th and 19th century tombstones.

WAR MEMORIAL GATE ARCH: Dr P MacGregor-Chalmers, 1921-22. Tooled rubble, tooled ashlar dressings; round-headed arch under gabled overthrow with apex cross and niche containing sword and laurel wreath. Short coped quadrants and double wooden gates. Inscribed plaques to dead of 1914-18 and 1939-45 flank gates.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. 1613 tombstone in entrance lobby erected to Walter Kinnaird and Elizabeth Innes of Culbin. Inscribed 'The Builders of this Stane, Are Laird and Lady Coubine, Qhilk (which) twa and Thairs, When Braith is gone, pleise God, Vil sleep this bed within'.

Gabled porch flanking church hall contains memorial to Lt Col James Pattulo Brodie, died in Crimea (War) Sept 1855.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17571463

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)