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Crathie Parish Church was designed in the 1890s by the well-known architect A. Marshall Mackenzie and replaced an early 19th century church (said to be in a very plain style) on the same site, which had in turn replaced the earlier church of St Manir to the south (NO29SE0003). Funds for the present building were raised by subscription and gifts, including from two of Queen Victoria's daughters. It was built in a late Victorian Scots-Gothic style, of coursed granite blocks, finished in a rough, 'rock-faced' texture. The steeply-pitched roofs and spire have small red tiles as well as decorative ridge tiling, although weathering has masked much of their colour. The use of plain clay tiles is unusual in an area where grey slate is more common. It is cruciform in plan, with a distinctive steeply pitched gabled nave and square, corbelled, parapeted crossing tower with splay footed spire, north and south transepts, chancel and with the main entrance at the west end. There is a separate Royal entrance with decorative timber gabled entrance porch to the south. Large rose window on the west gable, some geometric tracery windows to north and south, and lancet windows at crossing and apse. The chancel, approached up four steps, contains a grandiose marble 'communion table' and a hexagonal pulpit that is also a minor lapidarium (fashioned from 18 granites and bearing pebbles of Iona marble collected by HRH Princess Louise). The pillars of the crossing contain canopied recessed for portrait busts of Queen Victoria, King George V and King George VI. There is a unique granite hexagonal pulpit designed by A. Marshall Mackenzie, and fine Victorian stained glass. Much of the interior furniture was given by the Royal family over the years. The churchyard has a low granite wall to south and north, with square granite gate piers.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)