James Playfair’s red-stone church anchors the centre of Kirriemuir with a restrained spire and a light, galleried interior.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1786–1788; later alterations
- Architect / designer
- James Playfair; John Carver, 1873 reseating
- Type
- Galleried parish church
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB36810)
- OS grid reference
- NO 38610 53910
Architecture and continuing use
A rectangular rough-ashlar body is lit by round-arched upper windows. Advanced end bays strengthen the long elevations, while a two-stage clock tower carries a simple octagonal spire. Inside, slender superimposed Doric orders support galleries beneath a segmental ceiling.
Its story
James Playfair designed the church in 1786–1788 on an older ecclesiastical site. John Carver reseated it in 1873, further alterations followed, and a hall was added in 1904. Worship continues within a united parish.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises an architecturally accomplished late-eighteenth-century church whose red sandstone, tower and continuing use are central to the burgh townscape.
What to notice
- The plain octagonal spire above the clock stage.
- Two levels of arched windows along the flanks.
- The slender classical orders supporting the galleries.
Reading the surroundings
This is a working church. Check current service or opening arrangements, enter only when invited or advertised, and respect worship, funerals and private events.
Timeline
- 1786–1788 James Playfair designed and built the present parish church.
- 1873 John Carver reseated the interior.
- 1904 A church hall extended the complex.
- 2026 The building continued to serve Church of Scotland worship in Kirriemuir.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Later alterations are acknowledged by the designation but not all are individually dated or attributed.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Kirriemuir Old Parish Church, LB36810 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB36810 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Church of Scotland: online services in the east region — Current congregational identity and continuing worship.
- Scotland’s Churches Trust: Kirriemuir United Parish Church — Church history, denomination and visitor context.
Location
OS grid reference NO 38610 53910 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · 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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