Belhelvie, Old Parish Church

St Columba's, 17th century. Now slightly below the sweep of the modern road, T-plan predecessor, represented by high

west gable in coursed granite crowned by muscular bellcote (dated 1762) and part of south aisle containing fine but weathered monument to Innes of Blairton. Unusual in having two morthouses, one a turfed and vaulted chamber of uncertain date, the other more finished, 1835, rectangular, with ashlar granite front, oak door with bar over keyholes and, internally, two shelves with rollers each side.

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

NJ91NE 1.00 96917 19645

NJ91NE 1.01 96949 19637 Churchyard

NJ91NE 1.02 96922 19613 and c. 9695 1965 Burial-vaults

See also NJ91NW 6. For nearby St Colm's Well, see NJ91NE 4.

For successor parish church (Belhelvie North Church) at NJ 9565 1849, see NJ91NE 48.

(NJ 9693 1963) Church (Remains of) (NAT)

OS 25" map, Aberdeenshire, 2nd ed., (1900).

The old church is now a ruin, but the west gable, carrying a bell, and a crypt still remain. The holy water stoup from the mediaeval church is in the garden of Belhelvie manse (NJ91NE 51).

M F Pirie 1935.

The east wall of the church is probably part of the wall of a Roman Catholic Church.

New Statistical Account (NSA) 1845 (Rev A Forsyth).

There is a church bell at Belhelvie which was made in 1633.

F C Eeles 1914.

The Church of Belhelvie was dedicated to St Neachtan, but at a later date St Columba was made the patron. A reader to the church is recorded in 1567.

H Scott et al 1915-61.

The remains of the church are as described by Pirie (Pirie 1935). There is no trace of the holy water stoup in the garden of the manse. (For possible re-discovery of font, see NJ92SE 20).

Visited by OS (NKB) 23 March 1964.

Belhelvie (Aberdeen, Aberdeen). The church was confirmed to the bishop of Aberdeen in 1157, along with authority to erect his chapter. By 1256 the church with all its fruits had been erected into a prebend of the cathedral of Aberdeen, as it so remained, the parochial duties being discharged by a vicar pensioner.

I B Cowan 1967.

Belhelvie, St Columba's Church. T-plan church, represented by high W gable with bellcote (dated 1762) and part of S aisle (containing fine but weathered monument to Innes of Blairton). Unusual in having two morthouses, one dated 1835.

I Shepherd 1994.

The church is situated within a sand dune system and in rolling country on the edge of a small knoll at an altitude of 35m OD. It is open to the sea.

There is no bell in the bellcote. It was inscribed 'Henrick-ter-Horst-Me-Fecit-Daventriae-1633' and was stolen in 1966. There is a tombstone of 1722 in the angle of the masonry fragment of the ?S transept, and also a heraldic tomb on the other side of the wall.

(Additional bibliography cited).

NMRS, MS/712/85.