Crimond Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Crimond Parish Church |
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Crimond Church
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| 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 Christian church in Scotland. It belongs to the Church of Scotland, which is a type of Presbyterian church. You can find it in the village of Crimond, Aberdeenshire, right next to the A90 road.
This church was built in 1812. It was designed by an architect named Robert Mitchell. It's considered a very important building, listed as a Category A building. Crimond Church is also famous for its connection to a well-known hymn tune called "Crimond." In 2012, the church celebrated its 200th birthday with a special service.
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Unique Features of Crimond Church
Crimond Church has some really interesting and unusual features. These include a special clock and a unique weather vane. The church also has a historic pipe organ.
The 61-Minute Clock
One of the most talked-about things at Crimond Church is its clock. This clock has an extra minute between the eleven and twelve. This means it has 61 minutes in an hour! The clock also has a message carved into it: "The hour's coming."
A doctor named Dr James Laing gave this clock to the church a long time ago. It used to be a mechanical clock, but now it runs on electricity. The old mechanical parts are still on display inside the church. In 1949, someone tried to remove the extra minute when repainting the clock. But people were so upset that it was quickly put back!
The Fish Weather Vane
At the very top of the church's spire, there used to be a fish-shaped weather vane. A weather vane is like a spinning arrow that shows which way the wind is blowing. This fish weather vane was lost for many years.
Luckily, it was found again in the 1990s. It was then put back on top of the spire. The weather vane even had bullet holes from an air rifle, showing it had been damaged in the past.
The Pipe Organ
Inside the church, there is a large pipe organ. This organ has two "manuals," which are like keyboards for playing the instrument. It was built by a company called Conacher and Co.. This type of organ is quite rare. There are only two like it in all of Scotland. The other one is in St Mary's Cathedral, Aberdeen. The organ at Crimond Church was fixed up in 1985.
The Famous Hymn: "The Lord's my Shepherd"
Crimond Church is very well known because of its connection to a popular hymn. The hymn is called "The Lord's my Shepherd." It is a song version of 23rd Psalm from the Bible. This hymn is traditionally sung to a tune called "Crimond."
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 first appeared in a book called The Northern Psalter in 1872. However, it was originally said to be by someone named David Grant.
Some people think David Grant only helped with the music, and that Jessie Irvine actually wrote the main melody. While some experts still discuss this, most hymn books now give credit to Jessie Irvine for the tune.
Remembering Jessie Seymour Irvine
Inside Crimond Church, there are four special etched glass panels. These panels were put there in 2002 to remember Jessie Seymour Irvine as the person who composed the tune. The panels show pictures of Jesus as the Good Shepherd. They also show the musical notes from the first line of the "Crimond" hymn tune.
Jessie Irvine and her father, Alexander, are both buried in a family grave. Their grave is in the churchyard of St Machar's Cathedral in Aberdeen.
