St Peter's Roman Catholic Church, Buckie facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Peter's Roman Catholic Church |
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| The Buckie Cathedral | |
West elevation
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| Location | Buckie |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Founded | 1857 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Category A listed building |
| Administration | |
| Archdiocese | St Andrews and Edinburgh |
| Diocese | Aberdeen |
St Peter's Roman Catholic Church is a big, old church in Buckie, Moray, Scotland. People in Buckie often call it the "Buckie Cathedral" because it's so large and easy to spot! It was built a long time ago, between 1851 and 1857. This was soon after Catholics in Scotland were allowed to practice their faith more freely. The church was designed by James Kyle, who was a Catholic bishop, and built on land given by Sir William Gordon. Later, in the early 1900s, it was made even bigger and more beautiful by Charles Ménart. Today, St Peter's is a very important historical building, recognized as a Category A listed building since 1972, and it's still an active church where people go to worship.
Contents
What St Peter's Church Looks Like
St Peter's is a very large church built in the Gothic style from the 13th century. Its big size and high location mean you can see it from miles away! Even though it's a local church, many people call it the "Buckie Cathedral" because it looks so grand.
The front of the church, facing west, is very impressive. It has two square towers on either side of the main entrance. The main door is set back inside a pointed arch. Above the door, there's a beautiful stained glass window with four sections and cool geometric patterns.
The main part of the church, called the nave, has five sections with aisles on each side. Light comes in through tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. At the far end of the church, there's a lower, rectangular section called the chancel. It has a large, round rose window that is about 4 meters (13 feet) across.
Inside the Church
The inside of St Peter's Church is very richly decorated in the Gothic style. The nave is tall and narrow, with arched walkways on both sides. Thick columns support these pointed arches.
At the back of the church, there's a special balcony called a gallery that holds a large pipe organ. Below the organ, there's a detailed war memorial that remembers soldiers who died in the First World War. Along the walls of the aisles, you'll see pictures of the Stations of the Cross in big, fancy wooden frames.
The church's Baptismal font (where baptisms happen) is in a small room called a baptistry in the southwest corner. It has a heavy stone base and a beautifully carved wooden cover.
The most important part of the church is the chancel. It has very fancy carved decorations called a reredos, made from special stone and marble. The pulpit (where the priest gives sermons), the altar (where services are held), and the communion rail are all made with different kinds of marble and have very detailed designs.
The Priest's House and Walls
The presbytery, which is the house where the priest lives, is connected to the church on the northeast side. It's a two-story house made of red sandstone with a slate roof. The church and the presbytery are surrounded by a tall stone wall. At the front, the wall is lower and has metal railings and a big gate for carriages.
History of St Peter's
In 1850, Bishop James Kyle of Aberdeen wanted to build a new church in Buckie. More and more Catholic people were living there, and they needed a place to worship. He asked Sir William Gordon, a local Catholic leader, to give land for the church. Sir William agreed to provide enough land for the church, a house for the priest, and a school. He also asked that he and his brother be buried inside the church when they passed away.
Building started in 1851. Bishop Kyle himself drew up the designs, with help from an architectural company called A & W Reid. The grand front of the church was inspired by the old, ruined Elgin Cathedral. It was meant to show how respected Catholics had become in Scotland after they gained more freedom to practice their faith. The church was finished in 1857. A local newspaper, the Banffshire Journal, announced its opening:
- "Opening of New Catholic Cathedral". The new Catholic Cathedral at Buckie was opened by the Rt Rev Bishop Kyle assisted by Rev Wm Clapperton who was the first missionary therein.
From 1906 to 1907, a Belgian architect named Charles Ménart made the church even bigger. He added the chancel to the east end, making sure to reuse the beautiful rose window from the original building. Ménart also added a small porch and the baptistry. He designed the fancy Italian marble altar and the murals around it himself. The detailed marble war memorial, which is at the back of the church, was put in place in 1922. It was designed by Cameron McDonald and carved by Nicol Bros of Buckie.
In 1972, the church was officially named a Category A listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected. The church's organ was installed in 2000–2001. It was originally made in 1875 for another place called Fort Augustus Abbey and was moved and rebuilt in St Peter's after the abbey closed.
St Peter's Church Today
St Peter's Church is still an active Catholic church today. It is part of a group of parishes that includes Buckie, Fochabers, Tynet, and Presholme. It is managed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen.
Images for kids
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St Peter's, Buckie, as seen from offshore between Cluny and Buckpool harbours
