A. Marshall Mackenzie used the steep Duff Street site to give this dark-whinstone church a raised base, broad traceried gable and slender corner tower.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1899
- Architect / designer
- A. Marshall Mackenzie
- Type
- Whinstone church with tower, spire and galleried interior
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB37627)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 70610 64490
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The principal gable contains a large pointed window with intersecting tracery. Beside it, a three-stage tower rises to a square pyramidal spire, while a canted termination and long side elevations enclose a simple three-sided gallery.
Its story
Completed in 1899 for the Free Church, the building carried forward Macduff’s nineteenth-century expansion of congregational provision. Its contrasting polished dressings sharpen the openings against the dark local masonry.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a prominent work by an important regional architect and the survival of its galleried worship space, pulpit, organ front, pews and coloured glazing.
What to notice
- The broad traceried window in the Duff Street gable.
- Corbelled wallhead and water spouts on the tower.
- Contrasting stonework around the pointed openings.
Reading the surroundings
Check current service or event information before seeking entry. Respect worship and neighbouring properties, and view from public pavements when closed.
Timeline
- 1899 A new Free Church gave the rising street a tower and spire.
- 20th century The building continued in ecclesiastical use through denominational change.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Current congregational arrangements, opening times and the condition of internal fittings were not independently checked.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Gardner Church of Scotland, LB37627 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB37627 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 70610 64490 · Location confidence: High: the national designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference; an additional source confirms record identity and archival context. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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