Description

CHURCH: John Kinross, 1896-7. Scottish Romanesque.
Rectangular church orientated roughly N-S fronted at S by
3-stage square gabled tower with entrance in centre of N
face. Harled with pink tooled granite dressings. Recessed
pointed-headed doorway with moulded surrounds double-leaf
plank doors with ornate cast-iron hinges. Canopied niche
above housing statue of Our Lady. Long and short angle
dressings to tower, with crowstepped gabled, apex cross and
grouped quatrefoil vents in each face.
Long, 4-bay nave elevations lit by narrow hoodmoulded,
round-headed lights with leaded glazing. Chancel lit by
round-headed tripartite under continuous hoodmould in E
elevation below diminutive arcaded eaves band. Lean-to
sacristy at W. Slate roof.
Church linked at W to Chapel House (see below).
INTERIOR: richly stencilled lofty aisles interior; stencilled
decoration continues to panelled gallery front across N end
of church. High chancel with plain walls and richly decorated
timber barrel vaulted ceiling; carved canopied reredos with
paintings of saints flanking central picture of Our Lady, all
with gilded backgrounds. 5-panelled front to altar, each
panel illustrated with angel with musical instrument. Simple
pine pews; facetted pulpit decorated with vines on ashlar
base; marble font.
CHAPEL HOUSE: 1830-40, raised to 2 storeys in later 19th
century. SE facing 2-storey, symmetrical 3-bay house with
symmetrical 3-window rear elevation, linked by 2-storey,
single bay wing to chancel.
Centre door masked by late 19th century gabled and glazed
porch. 4- and 12-pane glazing; end stacks; Tomintoul slate
roof.
BURIAL GROUND: rubble walled burial ground to rear of church
with 19th century tomb stones, many of local slate.

Statement of Interest

Church an ecclesiastical building in use as such.

Abbe Paul MacPherson of Wester Scalan had wished to establish

an RC parish church at Scalan after the closure of the

seminary in 1799 and the final departure of Rev James Sharp

in 1808. It was not until 1828 that he was given a piece of

barren ground at Littletown of Eskemulloch (now Chapeltown)

where he established a church and school, both superseded by

present buildings.

'Plans prepared by architect to Marquis of Bute' who was John

Kinross of Edinburgh.

Chapel House formerly served as Presbytery.

Drawing of former church in sacristy dated 1840. It was

probably designed in 1828 by Rev Walter Lovi, Priest at Keith

1825-37, also architect for Dufftown, Keith, Braemar and

Wick RC churches.

Upgraded B to A 9.11.87.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17569737

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

• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014