Urquhart Parish Church

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 20/08/1981 Local Authority Moray Planning Authority Moray Parish Urquhart NGR NJ 28494 63271 Coordinates 328494, 863271 — Alexander Reid, Elgin (after William Robertson), 1842-43; converted to dwelling 1990s. Gothic church with 6-bay buttressed long E and W elevations. Harled, extensive use of tooled ashlar. Gabled S entrance front with engaged 3-stage square tower with angle buttresses, crenellated wallhead and angle pinnacles (reduced in height 1953). Hoodmoulded round-headed entrance in base of tower with cusped panelled double leaf doors. Tall window above under perpendicular decorated hoodmould; round-arched louvred belfry openings in upper stage of tower. Long pointed-headed traceried windows flank tower in S gable; similar fenestration in E and W buttressed elevations, blind in each end bay. Lattice-pane glazing. Stepped angle buttresses each corner terminating with pinnacle; wallhead parapet; apex cross at N gable; slate roof. Addition of small lanceted chancel and lean-to vestry at N gable and reconstruction of interior, J Alistair Ross, 1931. INTERIOR: see Notes. — Ecclesiastical building no longer in use as such. Converted to dwelling 1990s. The former Urquhart Parish Church is well designed and finely detailed, and forms an important part of the landscape. It is unusually orientated north/south. It stands on high ground, known as Gas Hill, on a site selected by the Earl of Fife. Prior to conversion to a dwelling, the interior detail included a panelled S gallery, 1931 pews and pulpit, an open timber roof which replaced an earlier plaster ceiling, and a 1751 mural monument to the Rev Robert Tod from the earlier church. Although attributed to the 22 year old Alexander Reid of Elgin, it is almost certainly the design of his uncle William R

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.