Tarland Old Parish Church

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 16/04/1971 Local Authority Aberdeenshire Planning Authority Aberdeenshire Parish Tarland NGR NJ 48181 04386 Coordinates 348181, 804386 — Dated 1762. 6-bay, rectangular-plan roofless church with birdcage belfry to W gable. plain Neo-Classical-style church. Random rubble granite with squared courses to openings, lintels and rybats, and quoins. Semicircular-arched windows. Only W gable intact above eaves height. W (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: Gable end with tall window to centre with birdcage belfry; 4 square, corner columns supporting entablature, rising to cornice and ogee cap terminating in ball finial. Lintel to blocked entrance inscribed,'MR TM 1762'. E (REAR) ELEVATION: gable end with window to centre. N (SIDE) ELEVATION: blank wall. S (SIDE) ELEVATION: 6-bay regular fenestration with entrance to centre left bay. Coped skews terminating in small skew putts. INTERIOR: open turfed ground with tapered column monument terminating in urn to centre right. CHURCHYARD: a large rectangular area of ground also containing the church standing on terraced, raised ground above the village's main square. Predominantly 19th century gravestones, some 18th century. Several stones lined up against the S wall carved with death motifs are similar to examples at Lumphanan and Coull churchyards (see separate listings) suggesting the work of the same mason. Large Victorian screen monument to W wall; 3-bay, blind gothic arcade. BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: coped, squared rubble wall. Square piers with pyramidal caps. Retaining wall to lower terrace facing street. DRINKING FOUNTAIN: Dated 1913. Semicircular-arched, tripartite slab stone on plinth carved with Celtic knot work affixed to lower terrace wall. Pink granite with bronze, canted water trough to base dated 1913. — Eccl

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.