Gordon Chapel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gordon Chapel |
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The south facade, with main entrance
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| 57°36′55″N 3°05′47″W / 57.61528°N 3.09639°W | |
| Location | Fochabers |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Scottish Episcopal Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 19th century |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
Gordon Chapel is an old church in Fochabers, Scotland. It was built in the 1830s. This church is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church. It is a very important building, known as a category A listed building.
The church was first designed by Archibald Simpson. This was done with help from the last Duchess of Gordon. Later, in the 1870s, Alexander Ross made many changes. Gordon Chapel is famous for having the biggest collection of Pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows in Scotland.
Contents
History of Gordon Chapel
Building the Church
The church was built between 1832 and 1834. It cost about £900. A famous Scottish architect named Archibald Simpson designed it. He also designed many buildings in nearby Aberdeen.
Elizabeth Brodie paid for the church. She was the wife of the fifth Duke of Gordon. Their main home, Gordon Castle, was close to Fochabers.
Early Years and Changes
The chapel on the first floor opened on August 12, 1834. A school had already opened on the ground floor. This area later became the parsonage, which is where the church minister lives.
Elizabeth Brodie was an Episcopalian. She preferred church services that used the English Book of Common Prayer. This was different from the Scottish Episcopal way. Because of these differences, she closed the church in 1848.
Reopening and Renovations
Local Episcopalians wanted their church back. In 1852, they asked the Duchess to let them use the building again. By then, Elizabeth Brodie had joined a different church group. She agreed to give the church and school to her nephew, Charles Gordon-Lennox. He was the Duke of Richmond. The church then reopened.
His son, also named Charles, took over in 1860. He asked Alexander Ross to make big improvements. This included adding a special hammerbeam roof. The Gordon-Lennox family owned the building until 1937. Then, the ninth Duke sold it to the Crown Estate.
Gordon Chapel During Wartime
During the Second World War, church services stopped. Soldiers even stayed in the building for a time. After the war, the Crown Estate thought about selling it for a cinema. But the church members raised enough money. They bought the building in 1950. Services started again after that.
Recent Restoration Work
The church had more renovation work starting in 2008. All its windows were taken out for safety. This was because a new bypass road was being built nearby. The windows were put back, and the church reopened in 2012.
What Gordon Chapel Looks Like
Building Design and Features
Gordon Chapel has two levels. It is built in a gothic style. The parsonage is on the ground floor. The chapel itself is on the floor above. The main entrance faces south onto Castle Street. This side is made of smooth ashlar sandstone. The rest of the building has a rougher finish called harled. A part that sticks out on the north-west side was once a private entrance for the Gordon family.
Stained Glass Windows
The chapel is famous for its large collection of Pre-Raphaelite stained glass windows. These beautiful windows were made by Morris and Co. Some were designed by Sir Edward Burne-Jones.
The windows show many scenes and figures:
- The Crucifixion (1874)
- Saint Cecilia (1879)
- Saint Ursula (1887)
- The archangel Raphael (1902)
- Christ as the Good Shepherd (1903)
- The archangel Michael (1914)
The St Michael window remembers Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox. He was the third son of the seventh Duke of Richmond. He died in fighting near Ypres in November 1914. He was 36 years old.
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St Ursula, remembering Frances Gordon-Lennox, Duchess of Richmond
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Michael, remembering Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox
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St Andrew, remembering George Gordon-Lennox
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St Cecilia, remembering Amy Gordon-Lennox, Countess of March
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The Good Shepherd, remembering Charles Gordon-Lennox, 6th Duke of Richmond
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Christ, remembering William and Ethel Baxter
Current Use of Gordon Chapel
Gordon Chapel is still an active place of worship. It is part of the Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness of the Scottish Episcopal Church. Rev Michael Last leads weekly services there.
The main chapel is reached by stairs. But services are also shown on CCTV in a ground floor room. This helps people who have trouble with stairs to still take part.
