Aberdeenshire HER - NJ86SE0002 - ST DROSTAN'S CHURCH, OLD ABERDOUR

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ86SE0002
NameST DROSTAN'S CHURCH, OLD ABERDOUR
NRHE Card No.NJ86SE2
NRHE Numlink 19961
HES SM No. 6155
HES LB No. NULL
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details Graveyard and remains of church. The church is probably 16th century in date, built on an earlier site and incorporating earlier fabric. It was superseded in 1818 when the present parish church was built in New Aberdour (NJ86SE0066). It survives generally to roof height, with the exception of the south aisle which has a modern roof. It is built of red rubble, tooled red sandstone and tooled granite dressings. Now roofless with skewputts at aisle and triangular-headed recess on exterior north wall. The west gable is almost intact with a shallow pointed headed window. The slightly off-centre south aisle was rebuilt in 1764, roofed and closed as a burial vault. The west end of nave is partitioned as burial enclosure with round-headed arch with blocked imposts between nave and south aisle. There are two arched recess monuments on the north wall, the eastern one illegible with two shields, the western one to James Baird of Auchmedden dated AD 1559. St Drostan's Church was mentioned in AD 1178, AD 1318, AD 1577 and AD 1599. The east part of the church is partitioned off with inscription over the southeast doorway reading 'This Sepulchre/was enclosed by/ CHAS- LESLIE, M.P.FRASERBURGH MDCCCXIX'. A font stands in corner, a large octagonal bowl on a pyramidal base, which may be same date as church. Church said to have been founded by St Drostan in circa AD 590. A church bellcote is said to have been erected in 1771 and reused on the present parish church at New Aberdour. Listing description includes burial ground which has a rubble wall containing 18th and 19th century and subsequent tombstones. The original listing description also refers to a pair of simple gatepiers with shallow pyramidal caps closed by a pair of AD 1874 cast-iron carriage gates. However these cast iron gates have since been replaced by modern steel ones. Within the graveyard there are five First World War Commonwealth war graves. Also within the graveyard is the grave of William Shand (died 1712), a distant ancestor of Queen Camilla.
Last Update17/07/2024
Updated Bycherbert
Compiler 
Date of Compilation25/03/1981

Google Map for NJ86SE0002

National Grid Reference: NJ 8843 6440



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2010 Building Recording
2012 Field Observation
2022 Field Observation

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
CHURCHES REMAINS OFA100
ARCHESSEMI-CIRCULAR P100
NAVES  C100
AISLES  D100
SKEWPUTTS  E100
RECESSES TRIANGULARF100
WINDOWS ARCHEDG100
MONUMENTSRECESSARCHEDH100
FONTSOCTAGONAL I100
BASESPYRAMIDAL J100
BURIALS  K100
GATEPIERS  L100
CAPSPYRAMIDAL M100
GRAVEYARDS  B100
GRAVESWARCOMMONWEALTHN100
GRAVESWORLD WAR I O100