Dunnottar Church
Church (Period Unassigned), War Memorial(S) (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Dunnottar Church
Classification Church (Period Unassigned), War Memorial(S) (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Dunnottar Parish Church; Dunnottar Parish Kirk; St Bridget's Church; War Memorial Window And Plaque
Canmore ID 36893
Site Number NO88NE 15
NGR NO 86287 85195
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/36893
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Dunnottar
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Kincardine And Deeside
- Former County Kincardineshire
NO88NE 15.00 86287 85195
(NO 8629 8520) Church on Site of St Bridget's Church (NR)
(NO 8630 8518) Marischal Aisle (NR)
OS 6" map, (1938).
NO88NE 15.01 NO 86307 85184 Churchyard with Marischal Aisle
See also:
NO88NE 106 NO 86293 85143 Dunnottar House (Manse)
Dunnottar Church, dedicated to St Bridget, was consecrated in 1387. The old church, with the exception of the Marischal Aisle, was pulled down in 1782, when the present church was built.
The Marischal Aisle, bearing the date 1582, seems to have been a private chapel, with a burial vault below. After being allowed to become derelict, it was roughly restored between 1885 and 1897.
F C Eeles 1897.
The Notes (information from Dunnottar parish church historical notes) state that the earliest church at Dunnottar was built in the 5th century on the present site of Dunnottar House gardens (see NO88SE 6). The second was consecrated on Castle Rock (Dunnottar Castle) in 1276, but was burned by Wallace in 1297. A new church was built from 1297-8 on the present site of Dunnottar church and, as stated, was dedicated to St Bridget and consecrated in 1387. The church was rebuilt in 1593. In 1782-86 a new church was built on the site of the old church.
The Marischal Aisle at NO 8630 8518, a small private family chapel of the Marischal family was finally restored in 1913 by the University of Aberdeen, and is still in use as a place of worship. George Keith, the 5th Earl, is buried in the vault below.
Visited by OS (R D), 23 July 1965.
The site of the medieval parish church of Dunnottar is probably indicated by an area of slightly raised ground to the SE of the present church (built in 1782 and extended in 1869) and adjoining the Marischal Aisle. The aisle, built for George Keith in 1582 to serve as a private chapel and burial-vault, was heavily restored in 1914; within the aisle there are several carved fragments including three armorial panels which may have come from the earlier church. The church of Dunnottar was dedicated to St Bridget and was built in the the late 14th century to replace the former parish church at Dunnottar Castle (NO 881 838).
F C Eeles 1897; W D Simpson 1935; RCAHMS 1982; RCAHMS 1984, visited October 1983.
