Bellie Kirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bellie Kirk |
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The north-facing portico
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| 57°36′50″N 3°05′49″W / 57.61389°N 3.09694°W | |
| Location | Fochabers |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| History | |
| Founded | 1798 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
Bellie Kirk is a beautiful old church in Fochabers, Scotland. It was built in 1798. The church has a special design style called "neoclassical." This means it looks like ancient Greek and Roman buildings.
The church was made for the 4th Duke of Gordon. People have used it as a place of worship for the Church of Scotland ever since it was built. It is also a very important historic building. It is known as a "Category A listed building."
Contents
History of Bellie Kirk
Why Was Bellie Kirk Built?
The church was built between 1795 and 1798. The 4th Duke of Gordon wanted it to be the main building in his new village of Fochabers. It replaced an older church nearby. That old church, called Bellie Old Church, was falling apart. Its churchyard was still used for a while. It even has a special tomb from 1826 called the Gordon Tomb.
Who Designed Bellie Kirk?
John Baxter designed Bellie Kirk. He was an architect from Edinburgh. He had studied architecture in Rome. The outside of the church looks almost the same as it did in 1798.
How Has the Church Changed Over Time?
Some repairs and changes were made in 1835. Archibald Simpson led this work. He also designed the nearby Gordon Chapel. During this time, the inside of the church was changed around. Greek-style details were added.
Bellie Kirk has always been an active church. It has been used continuously since it was built. More renovation work happened in 1954. This work put the inside of the church back to its original layout. In 1971, it was officially named a category A listed building. This means it is a very important historic building.
A big renovation happened again in 2010. The old fixed seats were removed. New movable seating was put in. The main part of the church, called the nave, was also changed. The church organ was removed during this work.
What Does Bellie Kirk Look Like?
The Outside of the Church
The church faces north towards Fochabers' High Street. It has a grand front entrance called a tetrastyle portico. This means it has four columns at the front. It was the first church in Scotland to have this kind of entrance. The columns are in the Roman Doric style. They are made of finely cut sandstone.
The top part of the church is a spire. Its design was influenced by James Gibbs. The spire has a square section with a clock. This clock is dated 1798. Above that is an eight-sided bell tower. A copper weathervane sits at the very top.
Inside Bellie Kirk
Three doors from the front porch lead into the entrance area. Inside, there are staircases on both sides. These stairs lead up to the galleries. The galleries run along the east and west sides of the church. They might have been added in 1835. Greek Doric columns support these galleries.
In 1998, three beautiful stained glass windows were added. These windows were made by Shona McInnes. They show pictures of growth and harvest. They also show the tree of life and the Holy Spirit.
Bellie Kirk Today
Bellie Kirk is still an active place of worship. Sunday services are held every week at 10 am. The most recent minister was Rev. Seòras Orr. He left his role at the end of 2023. He was once the youngest minister serving in the Church of Scotland.
