Towie Parish Church And Churchyard

Parish Kirk, 1803. On the Don's southern bank, at a sharp bend, the kirkton of Towie is distinguished by the honest rectangle of its parish kirk. Round-headed windows retaining the original glazing bars and a bellcote capped by a ball finial convey a sense of simple grace. Inside are the original pulpit with sounding board and a U-plan gallery. A fine example of an Aberdeenshire mortsafe lies inverted in the kirkyard whose wall contains a medieval graveslab with calvary cross and chalice. Altered 1894.

Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

NJ41SW 13.00 43968 12955

NJ41SW 13.01 c. 4397 1295 Sculptured Stone (possible)

For (adjacent) Towie parish manse, see NJ41SW 44. For monuments to John Ross and William Strachan of Bluemill (Bluemiln), see NJ41SW 76.

Towie, of old Kinbathock. The church was renovated in 1891.

H Scott 1915-61.

1803: original pulpit and lofts.

G Hay 1957.

Kinbathoch (Aberdeen, Mar). Now known as Towie and alternatively written Kinbettack or Kilbarcha, the parsonage pertained at the Reformation to the Knights of St John of Jerusalem at Torphichen. The cure was then a vicarage perpetual, as it had been since before 1274, a fact which would appear to indicate that the parsonage then pertained to the Knights Templars from whom it would pass to the Knights of St John c. 1309.

I B Cowan 1967.

Towie churchyard is situated on the river floodplain at an altitude of about 220m OD. Its tombstones date mainly from the 19th century, with a few 18th century examples and a medieval grave-slab bearing a calvary cross and chalice. The churchyard wall is rubble, but partially harled, and there is a built-up burial-enclosure.

There is also a grey granite mortsafe with iron lattice-work, similar to those at Cluny (NJ61SE 5.00) and Skene (NJ80NW 3.00). It measures 7ft 2ins (2.18m) long, 2ft (0.61m) across at the top, 2ft 4ins (0.71m) across at the shoulders and 1ft 7ins (0.48m) at the narrow end, and is 5ins (127mm) thick.

J Ritchie 1912; NMRS, MS/712/46.

A small, stone-walled enclosure close to the SE corner of the church, contains a row of three memorials carved from a light grey, highly polished granite, recalling General Sir Alexander Leith of Glenkindie and his family (Burke 1898). The inscriptions face E and are described from S to N:

Headstone: 'Phyllis | widow of the | 5th Lord Burgh of | Glenkindie | Born October 19th | 1882 | Died October 6th | 1972'.

Small Obelisk: 'Sacred | to the Memory of | General Sir Alexander Leith K.C.B. | of Freefield and Glenkindie, | who died 19th February 1859, | Aged 84. | Also of Maria Thorp his first wife, | who died 2nd August 1834. | Erected by | his sorrowing widow | Mary Mackenzie Leith, | who died 29th December 1883, Aged 79'.

Headstone: 'Eveleigh | Julia Leith | Daughter of Glenkindie | Born 3rd Jan 1904 | Died 1st Jan. 1983'.

Immediately to the N of the enclosure are four more stones commemorating other members of the family:

Freestanding Cross upon a stepped pediment, in speckled pink granite, with the inscription facing E : 'In Hol Signo Vinces | In Memory of Major James Leith V.C. | The son of Gen. Sir Alexander Leith, K.C.B. | of Freefield and Glenkindie, | Born 26. May 1826, Died 13 May 1869 | 'Blessed are the Pure in Heart | For they shall see God'.

Rough-hewn granite block with an inscription engraved upon a bronze plaque inserted into the S face: 'John Disney | Leith | of Glenkindie | 17.8.09 15.12.68 | The path of the just is as the shining light. | Prov. iv. 18'.

Rough-hewn circular headstone, in speckled grey granite: 'Mona Leith | of Glenkindie | 9.12.10 - 27.3.80'.

Round-topped headstone in speckled grey granite: 'James | Alexander John | Leith of Glenkindie. 'Jiminy' 8th October 1942, To 19th December 1942.'

Visited by RCAHMS (ATW), 29-30 April 1997.

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Scottish Record Office:

GD/124/9/63 Renewal of the bell for the kirk.

Bond by Alexander Strachan, eleder, of Glen Kindie and Mr Robert Irving, Minister of Towie, for such sums as will be expended in Holland for casting anew the Bell of the Kirk and for transporting it from Aberdeen to Holland and back again, 1669