Kirk of St Nicholas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kirk of St Nicholas |
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View from the Kirkyard
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| Location | Back Wynd, Aberdeen, AB10 1JZ |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| Website | |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Official name: The Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting (Church of Scotland and United Reformed) | |
| Designated: | 12 January 1967 |
| Reference #: | LB19966 |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Nicholas |
| Administration | |
| Presbytery | Aberdeen |
The Kirk of St Nicholas is a very old church in the city centre of Aberdeen, Scotland. It was once known as the "Kirk of St Nicholas Uniting" until the church group there stopped meeting on December 31, 2020. People also call it "The Mither Kirk" (which means "mother church") of the city.
Since January 1, 2021, the building is looked after by the Church of Scotland's General Trustees. Inside, the church has a beautiful dark oak wood design.
Contents
Discovering the Kirk's Past
How the Kirk Began
The first time a church on this spot was mentioned was in a special paper from the Pope in 1151. St Nicholas was chosen as the church's patron saint. This was because Aberdeen is close to the sea, and St Nicholas is known for saving sailors during a storm.
Growing Over the Years
The Kirk was made much bigger in the 1400s. The Kirk of St Nicholas and St Mary's in Dundee were likely the biggest parish churches in Scotland during the Middle Ages. Bishop Elphinstone officially opened the enlarged church in 1498.
To celebrate 500 years since this dedication, a special stained glass window was put in. You can see it at the main entrance, looking over an area called Drum's Aisle.
Special Areas Inside
The church has two special areas: the Drum Aisle and the Collison Aisle. The Drum Aisle was the old burial place for the Irvines of Drum Castle. These aisles separate the two main parts of the church. They were once the "transepts" (the arms of a cross-shaped church) of the 12th-century St Nicholas church. You can still see parts of the original 12th-century building there.
Building and Rebuilding
The West Church was built between 1751 and 1755. It followed plans given to the city by James Gibbs and was built in the Italian style. This part of the church was built where the medieval "nave" (the main part of the church) used to be.
The East Church was built in 1834 in a Gothic-revival style. It was built where the "choir" (the area near the altar) used to be.
Fire and Bells
In 1874, a fire badly damaged the East Church. It also destroyed the old central tower, which had a lead-covered wooden spire and a lovely set of nine bells. One of these bells, named Laurence or "Lowrie," was very large.
The church was rebuilt after the fire. A huge granite tower was put up over the aisles between the two church sections. A new set of 36 bells, made in Belgium, was added in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.
Later, in 1950, these bells were replaced with 48 new ones. These new bells were made by Gillett & Johnston. Today, the Kirk of St Nicholas has one of the largest carillons (sets of bells played together) in the British Isles.
Two Churches Under One Roof
The building actually has two separate church areas under one roof, though only one is used regularly now. The old nave (main part) collapsed around 1742. A new church, called the West Kirk, was built in 1755 by James Gibbs. This part is still used for church services today.
The other section, the East Kirk, was rebuilt in 1837 by Archibald Simpson. It had to be rebuilt again after the 1874 fire. A lot of repair and archaeological work is happening in the East Kirk right now. Workers have found old foundations, many medieval burials, and lots of old building pieces from this important site.
The Oil Chapel
The Oil Chapel was opened in 1990. It was created to mark 25 years since North Sea oil was first discovered. This chapel has a special book of remembrance. It lists the names of everyone who has died working offshore in British waters.
Surviving Medieval Features
Even with all the changes over the years, St Nicholas still has more medieval statues than any other Scottish parish church. However, none of them are in their original spots. The Vault, or Chapel of Our Lady of Pity, is still there under the east end of the Kirk. Its outside has been redone, but the medieval arched ceilings inside are still original. Some old wooden pieces from the late Middle Ages and the 1600s are kept in this vault.
The old Kirk of St Nicholas Parish is now part of the Parish of St Mark's. The Revd Ian Murray is the minister for both.
The Churchyard
The graveyard surrounds the church on three sides: north, south, and west. It is very full, especially on the west and south sides. Many of the graves are "table stones," which are flat stones raised on supports.
Unlike most Scottish graveyards, the stones here do not usually face east. Close to the church on its south side, some flat grave slabs are now part of the paving. They are even used for car parking, which is very unusual for a Scottish churchyard. The oldest monuments here date back to the mid-1600s.
The wall along Union Street was rebuilt in the 1800s. It was made into a very formal Georgian style with columns.
Notable People Buried Here
Many important people are buried in the Kirk of St Nicholas churchyard or inside the church. Here are a few:
- Alexander Anderson (Lord Provost of Aberdeen)
- Sir John Anderson (a Scottish engineer)
- John Henry Anderson (known as the "Wizard of the North")
- Rev Dr Thomas Blackwell (a principal of Marischal College)
- Sir Thomas Blaikie
- Rev Prof William Laurence Brown (buried inside the kirk)
- John Burnett of Elrick
- Rev Andrew Cant
- William Cruden (who was provost of Aberdeen twice)
- John Cruickshank (mathematician)
- William Cruickshank (who was also provost twice)
- Robert Dyce
- William Dyce (remembered on his parents' grave)
- Alexander Dingwall Fordyce
- John Gibb (engineer)
- George Russell Gowans (an artist)
- Rev Dr William Guild
- Gavin Hadden (who was Lord Provost four times)
- Prof Robert Hamilton
- James Jopp (who was Provost of Aberdeen five times)
- James Melvin (a Latin scholar)
- Andrew Moir (anatomist)
- Cpt William Penny (an Arctic explorer)
- William Rickart
- Archibald Simpson (an architect)
- George Skene (Provost of Aberdeen and a Member of Parliament)
- John Smith (architect)
- Gavin Turreff (an author)
- Alexander Walker (Provost in 1697/98)
- John Webster (Lord Provost and MP for Aberdeen)
Other Memorials
- A plaque for Rev Alexander Hetherwick.
- A plaque for Very Rev Mitford Mitchell, who was a minister here and a Moderator of the General Assembly.
See also
- Action of Churches Together in Scotland
