Mansefield, Alford Parish West Church

West (old, St Andrew's) Parish Kirk, 1804 and 1826. Began as a version of Kildrummy, a square with bow staircase to rear; third window added to south to create an imposing, spare rectangle with three fine round-headed windows. Harled

with margins and bellcote on west gable. Inside, gallery is carried on Doric columns; outside several good wall monuments including a flamboyant armorial to George Melville, 1678, and a primitive extravaganza, the Balfluig Monument (1725, Mary Forbes), with squat supporting figures, winged 'putto' and 'memento mori' skeleton below (cf Cuminestown, 'Banff & Buchan' in this series).

Kirkyard walls internally embanked; relief carvings of open books (?judgement symbol) flank gates, (?)1694. Some 17th- and 18th century stones, most 19th; includes graves of early botanist John Duncan and poet Charles Murray:

'He cut a sappy sucker from the

muckle rodden-tree,

He trimmed it, an he wet it, an he

thumped it on his knee;

He never heard the teuchat when the

harrow broke her eggs,

He missed the craggit heron nabbin

puddocks in the seggs,

He forgot to hound the collie at the

cattle when they strayed,

But you should hae seen the whistle

that the wee herd made!'

Charles Murray, 'The Whistle'

'Within this isle interr'd behind

these stones,

Are pious, wise, good Mary Forbes'

bones;

To Balfluig daughter, and of

blameless life,

To Mr Gordon, Pastor here, the wife.

'Espiravit Apr27 AD 1728 Aet. Suus 46.'

A I McConnochie, 'Donside', 1901

An inscription in the west kirkyard reads:

'Here lys jean aitken, lawfull daughter to George Aitken in Hoodhouse of Alford, aged three years, dyed May 17, 1724. The 'Hoodhouse' or Headhouse is an old name for an inn or hostelry. The Headhouse was generally situated near the parish

kirk, as were those of Alford and Clatt.

A Jervise, 'Epitaphs and Inscriptions'

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

NJ51NE 10 55390 16116

For present parish church (NJ 5815 1575), see NJ51NE 59.00.

For adjacent (former) manse, see NJ51NE 61.

(NJ 5539 1611) Church (on site of St Andrew's Chapel) (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1959)

About 1199-1207 the church of Afford (thus), dedicated to St Andrew, was given by Gillechrist, Earl of Mar, to the Priory of Monymusk. Upon the W end of the present building is the inscription, 'Built AD 1804; enlarged 1826'. The former church bore the date of 1603.

A Jervise 1875-9; H Scott et al 1915-61; G Hay 1957.

No trace of earlier church. Modern Church, as described, still in use.

Visited by OS (RL) 12 September 1968.

A few gravestones of the 17th and 18th centuries are to be seen; the gate is flanked by open books in relief and bears a possible date of 1694.

NMRS, MS/712/50.