Crimond Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crimond Parish Church |
|
|---|---|
Crimond Church
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| Location | Crimond, Aberdeenshire |
| Country | Scotland, UK |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed |
| Designated | 1971 |
| Architect(s) | Robert Mitchell |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | 1812 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Crimond |
| Presbytery | Buchan |
| Synod | Grampian |
Crimond Church is a special Christian church located in the village of Crimond, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is part of the Church of Scotland, which is a type of Presbyterian church. This means it is led by elders, not bishops. The church was built a long time ago, in 1812. It was designed by an architect named Robert Mitchell.
Crimond Church is considered a very important building. It is a "Category A listed building," which means it has special historical or architectural value. The church is also famous for its connection to a popular hymn tune called "Crimond." In 2012, the church celebrated its 200th birthday. A special service was held, led by a former leader of the Church of Scotland, Professor Alan Main.
Contents
Unique Features of the Church
Crimond Church has some very interesting and unusual features. These include a special clock and a unique weather vane.
The 61-Minute Clock
One of the most famous things about Crimond Church is its clock. If you look closely, you will see it has an extra minute between the eleven and twelve. This means it has 61 minutes in an hour! The clock also has a special message carved on it: "The hour's coming."
This unique clock was given to the church by Dr James Laing in the early 1800s. It used to be a mechanical clock, but now it runs on electricity. The old mechanical parts are still displayed inside the church. They are there to remember Norman Cowie OBE, who helped raise money to make the clock electric. In 1949, when the clock was being repainted, the extra minute was accidentally removed. This caused a big fuss, so it was quickly put back!
The Fish Weather Vane
The church also has a fish-shaped weather vane at the very top of its spire. A weather vane shows which way the wind is blowing. This fish weather vane was lost for many years. But in the 1990s, it was found and put back on top of the church. Before it was lost, the weather vane had even been shot at with an air rifle, leaving bullet holes!
The Pipe Organ
Inside the church, there is a large musical instrument called a pipe organ. This organ has two keyboards, called "manuals." It was built by a company called Conacher and Co.. This type of organ is quite rare, with only one other like it in Scotland. The organ was carefully repaired and made new again in 1985.
The Famous Hymn Tune "Crimond"
Crimond Church is well-known because of its connection to the hymn tune "Crimond." This tune is often used for the hymn "The Lord's my Shepherd." This hymn is a musical version of the 23rd Psalm from the Bible.
Who Wrote the Tune?
Many people believe that the "Crimond" tune was written in 1871 by Jessie Seymour Irvine. She was the daughter of the church's minister, Rev. Alexander Irvine. The tune was first printed in a book called The Northern Psalter in 1872. However, when it was first published, the tune was given credit to someone named David Grant.
Some people say that David Grant only helped with the harmony, and that Jessie Irvine actually wrote the main melody. While some experts have debated this, most hymn books today give credit to Jessie Irvine for composing the tune.
Remembering Jessie Irvine
Inside Crimond Church, there are four beautiful etched glass panels. These panels were put there in 2002 to remember Jessie Seymour Irvine as the composer of the famous tune. They also honor a previous minister, Rev James E Lyall. The panels show pictures of Jesus as the Good Shepherd and have musical notes from the first line of the "Crimond" hymn. Both Jessie Irvine and her father, Alexander, are buried in a family grave at St Machar's Cathedral in Aberdeen.
