Flipbook - TBF Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 36
1825 to 2025
T
he foundation stone of the tower of
the present Church building was laid
on 10th May 1824, by Mr. Burnett, Son
of Sir Robert Burnett of Crathes, he
was assisted by Mr. Farquharson of Finzean,
MP. The ceremony was preceded by a
procession and was watched by “an immense
concourse of spectators” (Aberdeen Journal,
12th May 1824). This newspaper commented
that “the erection of this splendid Church (in
a most conspicuous situation) will complete
the striking appearance of one of the most
picturesque and beautiful districts of the
country”.
Unfortunately, we do not know which
particular stone was laid at this ceremony.
The Church was opened for divine service
on 17th July 1825, when “the Rev. Mr. Gregory
preached an “eloquent and appropriate
sermon from Genesis chapter 28 verses 16 and
17”, (Aberdeen Journal, 27th July 1825).
The congregation who worshipped here
in 1825 would find several changes in the
building today, the most outstanding being
the addition of the chancel to the north. In
1825 the pulpit stood in the centre of the
The Banchory Fly |Autumn 2025 Page 36
original north wall and was reached by a spiral
staircase. The choir sat below the pulpit on
either side. Galleries extended around the
other three sides of the church.
Later, in 1878 an organ was installed below
the pulpit. This “first class cabinet organ” was
purchased for the sum of 125 guineas with a
“liberal discount in case of early payment”
(Kirk Session Minutes).
In October 1842, the Rev. William Anderson,
minister of this parish, writing in the New
Statistical Account of Scotland (Kincardine)
describes the church as “a plain substantial
building, in the Gothic style, sufficiently neat
and commodious within, but defective in
