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Parish church, still in ecclesiastical use, and graveyard. The present building was mostly re-built in either 1722 or 1799 to a design by Samuel Bell on the site of its predecessor, which was dedicated in 1242. It is possible the church on this site was originally called Egglespether, and was a Pictish church from circa 710, although this is debated. By 1230, a church known as Aberlemno is documented. The 1722 rebuild may incorporate elements of the earlier building, although again this is debated. The church was remodelled in 1856 by James Maclaren, and there is a 1980s extension. The present church is made up of a rectangular church oriented East/West and an aisle on the North elevation giving it a T-plan. The 1856 remodelling heightened the walls and inserted Gothic windows. The angles to the North-East and North-West were filled in 1856, with the building in the North-East angle extended in the 1980s. The North gable has a high central triple, traceried Gothic window, with thick stone mullions, and there are twinned rectangular windows below. There is a platform at the gable apex, which would probably originally have supported a finial or weathervane. The porch filling the North-West angle has not changed in plan since the 1st edition OS map, and has a door on the West elevation and a rectangular window on the North elevation. The North-East angle is shown as being filled by a small rectangular building on the 1st edition OS map, and extended to the North, beyond the North end of the aisle, on the 2nd edition OS map. This building was rebuilt in the 1980s, and now extends the full length of the Eastern section of the North elevation of the church, and wraps around part of the North end of the aisle. There is a door on the West elevation and rectangular windows to the North and East. Both these buildings are constructed from rubble similar to the 18th century building, and have similar slate roofs. The West gable has a triple Gothic window and rectangular windows below that are the same as those on the North gable. There is an open sandstone ashlar bellcote with a stone spire to the gable apex. The bell was cast in 1728 by Robert Maxwell, Edinburgh, and has an external bell pull. There are four evenly spaced Gothic twin traceried windows with thick mullions, in a similar style to those on the North and West gable ends. The East gable end has the same window designs as seen on the North or West gables. There is a stone cross finial to the gable apex, and the Northern end of this elevation is extended as a part of the 1980s extension. Inside, the pulpit and communion table are on the sanctuary on the South wall, and plain pews fill the rest of the church, facing the sanctuary. The pulpit has a carved arcade and quatrefoil inserts, and carved decorations to the panelled front of the communion table. There is a wooden font to the East of the communion table, and a medieval stone font originally from Aldbar Chapel (NO55NE0008), and moved inside from the graveyard in 1992. There is a gallery to the East, North and West with a plain panelled front, which is supported by iron columns. The plain pews are painted purple. There is an inset armorial stone dated '1(6)04' from Melgund Castle (NO55NW0019). On the West wall is a round headed war memorial plaque, with a Celtic cross head in light relief and lists of those killed during the First World War. A smaller rectangular plaque immediately below this records losses in the Second World War. A full transcription of the memorial is held in the AAS Digital Archive. The graveyard is surrounds the church, and is enclosed with rubble walls that average 6 feet (1.8 metres) high. There are early-19th century ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps to the North-West entrance. The manse entrance to the East has 18th century gatepiers. Within the churchyard stands a Class II Pictish symbol stone (NO55NW0026).
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Angus
HER -
NO55NW0028 - ABERLEMNO PARISH CHURCH