Abernethy Old Kirk

Abernethy Old Kirk was built around 1767 by Alexander Cuie of Keith, on what is believed to be an old Pictish site.

A church was granted at Abernethy somewhere between 1187 - 1203, and Richard was named as the Bishop of the new Church of Abernethy. At that time, the parishioners lived in settlements around farms and mills close to the church.

In the early days, the Scottish Church was controlled by the Pope. However, 1560 marked the start of Presbyterianism. Although local Bishops were still appointed at first, they were later abolished and a minister and elders were selected locally.

In Abernethy, the selection of the minister and much of the financial burden fell on the Laird of Grant, as the only heritor in the area. At that time it was also ordered that all kirks must have doors, windows and thatched roofs, with enough space to house two thirds of the over 18 parish population.

It is a beautiful building with crowstepped gables and a round belfry which was added during the 1873 renovations.

In 1767, the kirk had five external doors, the 2nd and 5th windows on the south wall being two of them.

In 1873, Alexander Marshall MacKenzie, began a reconstruction project on the kirk. The three sided gallery inside the kirk was removed, most of the doorways were filled, but the pulpit retained its position in the middle of the south wall.

When entering the Abernethy Old Kirk, the unusual layout struck me. The pulpit being in the middle of the long south wall, but it has always been this way.

Standing in the pulpit, reminded my teenage days when a member of the church choir, making an occasional reading.

It felt like there should have been a gallery full of worshippers, which indeed there was until it was removed during the 1873 renovations.

Above is a portrait of William Grant, one of the ministers. He was the minister here between 1709 and 1764. He died aged 96 during his 56th year of ministership.

The portrait was painted in 1727 by Richard Waitt, a famous portrait painter who worked almost exclusively for the Grants.

There is a list of most of the ministers in the kirk.

Within a covered display cabinet is a psalter, a volume containing the book of psalms, the scriptures were translated from Hebrew to English.

In 1586, as much of the congregation couldn't read, songs were used to aid teaching. The songs would be led by a precentor, who would sit in front of the pulpit leading the way. Metrical psalms were sung from the words directly from the Bible before hymns became commonplace.

There are some beautiful old bibles on display, next to which you will see the handbell. This was used to call parishioners to worship before 1874, when the belfry and bell were added.

It was purchased by Alexander Grant of Ballinluig, and when it was no longer required, it remained in the house of locals. It was returned to the kirk in 1999 by Alistair Grant of Ballinluig, and used to call communion in June that year, 125 years after it was last used.

The above cupboard was originally underneath the vestry window. It is thought to have held burial cloth, used to shield the shrouded remains, prior to interment for those who did not have coffin.

The Cutty Stool, also known as the Stool of Repentance, was a brutal stool to be placed upon.

Before there were civil courts, Sessions were used to administer local justice. Those parishioners who had sinned, often of fornication and adultery, were brought before the congregation, placed on the stool and shamed in front of the community. The shame led to some of them taking their own life. There were instances of women concealing their pregnancies or even killing their own child, rather than face the Cutty Stool.

In the 1820's, in such a case of public, rebuke some ladies of the congregation walked out. The event had the desired effect the Cutty Stool had seen it's last day, thankfully!

The Easter/Rood Loft door was on the north east wall and would have probably provided access to the gallery.

There is a windowsill commemorating James Cameron, a local who signed up and went to war in 1916 aged 19 and was sadly killed at the age of 20.

Another has some of the old communion patens, chalices and flagons, or if you'd prefer plates, cups and jugs.

Inside the kirk are plenty of information boards providing a timeline of events and changes to the kirk, and old maps showing the location of the kirk.

There is a copy of a 16th century Timothy Point map that clearly shows a church next to Roy Castle.

Near the church entrance is what is believed to be the old font stone, which was removed from the old building. It's size and shape believed to be able to submerge a child as was the norm back then.

The stone has clearly been weathered by the elements over the years. We discussed the channel at the front of the font and wondered if it was used to drain water from the font.

Not far from the old font stone it the grave of Thomas King, a murdered police constable.

On the 20 Dec 1898, PC King died as he attempted execute a warrant for a five shilling fine for poaching. On entering the house of a suspect, he was shot at point blank range. The perpetrator, a well known poacher with a history of violence, was found hiding under a pile of straw and was transported to Inverness. He was subsequently tried for murder and found guilty of culpable homicide and received 15 years penal servitude.

PC Thomas King was 46 years old, and left behind a wife and seven children.

You will also notice a beautiful summerhouse in the churchyard. I'm unsure how it came about but it absolutely stunning. There is a memorial plaque to Susan Culliford, and it mentions that The Watson Foundation and the Nethy Bridge Community Council, restored it in 2020. I'd love one in my garden please!

The kirk was used as the sole local Parish Church until 1843, when a third of the congregation broke away in favour of creating a Free Church, and a new church was built on Dell Road.

In 1929, the two Abernethy Churches united and Reverend John A Fleming became sole minister. The kirk was deemed redundant. In January 2009, the Abernethy Old Kirk Association was formed, and they acquired the kirk in April 2011.

The running costs of the kirk relies on donations and fund raising events, and is now available for weddings and funerals for additional income.

There is a notice board at the front gate with contact details if you wish to look inside the kirk. I was very luck to have met Stuart, who gave me a tour of the kirk and was extremely helpful and knowledgeable.

Make sure you visit Castle Roy while you are here, as it's only next door.

Abernethy Old Kirk is a Category C Listed Building with Historic Environment Scotland.