Crathie Kirk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crathie Kirk |
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Crathie Kirk
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 Crathie Kirk
Location in Aberdeen
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| 57°02′23″N 3°12′44″W / 57.0397°N 3.2123°W | |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Churchmanship | Reformed |
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| Presbytery | Kincardine & Deeside |
Crathie Kirk is a small church in the village of Crathie, Scotland. It is part of the Church of Scotland. This church is well-known because the British royal family regularly attends services here. They visit Crathie Kirk when they are staying at nearby Balmoral Castle.
Crathie Kirk is now joined with the church in Braemar. Together, they form one large parish with two places of worship. The minister for this parish since 2005 is Kenneth Mackenzie.
Contents
A Long History of Worship
Crathie has been a place for Christian worship for a very long time.
- A church was first built here in the 9th century.
- It was founded by Saint Manire, a follower of Saint Columba.
- Saint Manire is said to have baptized Pictish people in the River Dee nearby.
- Today, only a single standing stone remains from Saint Manire's original church.
Churches Through the Ages
- The ruins of a 13th-century church, also dedicated to Saint Manire, can still be seen.
- A later church was built on the current site in 1805.
- Queen Victoria started worshipping there in 1848.
- Every British monarch since Queen Victoria has attended services at Crathie Kirk.
The Current Church Building
- Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone for a new, much larger church in 1893.
- This new church was completed in 1895.
- It was designed by architect A. Marshall Mackenzie in the popular Gothic Revival style.
- The walls are made of local granite, and the roof is made of Scots pine.
- Building materials were donated by nearby estates.
- Queen Victoria's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Louise, also helped raise money for the church.
Royal Family Events
- Anne, Princess Royal, married Timothy Laurence at Crathie Kirk on December 12, 1992.
- They chose to marry in Scotland because the Church of Scotland allows remarriage after divorce, unlike the Church of England at that time.
- The British royal family attended a Sunday service here on August 31, 1997. This was the morning after the death of Diana, Princess of Wales.
- After the death of Elizabeth II at Balmoral, the church held a private service for the royal family on September 10, 2022.
Inside Crathie Kirk
The church has special areas for different families.
- The south transept (a part of the church that sticks out) is reserved for the royal family.
- The north transept has pews for the Farquharson family, who own Braemar Castle.
- There are also pews for the Gordon family, who own nearby Abergeldie Castle.
Royal Gifts and Connections
The royal family has given many gifts to Crathie Kirk over the years.
- Queen Victoria donated two stained glass windows.
- She also provided the "Father Willis organ" that was in the church for many years.
- Victoria's loyal servant, John Brown, is buried in the churchyard.
- Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria's youngest daughter, donated four bells that are still in the belltower.
- Edward VII gave two marble medallions to remember his brother and sister.
- Edward's son, George V, donated a communion table made from white marble from the island of Iona.
- Elizabeth II donated a Bible decorated with the royal coat of arms.
Burials of Note
See also
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Crathie Kirk Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.