Description

1859. Rectangular-plan Gothic former Free church with square-plan tower and hall to rear. Squared pink granite blocks with finely finished pink sandstone dressings. Diagonal buttresses; pointed-arched window and door openings.

NW (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: Entrance Tower: 2-stage rising to stone spire; moulded, chamfered doorway to ground floor, 2-leaf boarded timber door; round window above; tripartite louvred openings to 2nd stage with clock face to front; 4 columned and pedimented lucarnes at broached spire with 4 further (smaller) lucarnes; Masonic symbol finial. Window to each flanking bay with single storey squinches to re-entrant angles.

SW ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 3-bay, window to each bay (currently undergoing alteration). Single bay advanced to outer right, bipartite window to centre, doorway and window to left return, right return not seen 1998.

SE ELEVATION: ground floor obscured by hall; wheel window set in gablehead.

NE ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 3-bay; window to each bay.

Diamond-pane leaded windows. Graded grey slate roof with stone skews and mannered skewputs. Coped gablehead stack with circular can to SE.

INTERIOR: dais and round-headed half-columned reredos to (ecclesiastical) east end; wagon roof with stencilled decoration, corbelled wall posts.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building no longer in use a such. The congregation which formerly worshipped here held their first services in the sawmill of Aboyne until a church and manse was built in Birse Parish in 1843-4. The congregation moved to this building in 1859 and ecclesiastical use continued after the union of the Established and Free churches in 1929 until 1940 when it was used as a store for the duration of the Second World War. From 1946 until 1993 the building was used as a Masonic Temple, since when it has enjoyed wider use. The building is in a prominent position overlooking Aboyne Green.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17772962

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

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  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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