George Goldie’s secluded granite church restores a Catholic presence to an estate long associated with Aberdeen’s medieval bishops and later Jesuit activity.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1859
- Architect / designer
- George Goldie
- Type
- Four-bay Gothic church with attached L-plan presbytery
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB2834)
- OS grid reference
- NJ 71936 17733
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
Dark coursed granite walls contrast with red dressings across a four-bay nave, chancel, porch and bellcote. The western front alone is buttressed, while the attached two-storey presbytery uses shouldered arches and lintels.
Its story
George Goldie designed St John’s in 1859, close to the former episcopal and later Catholic landscape of Fetternear. The building retained ecclesiastical use in the designation record and remains identified by the Inverurie Catholic parish as one of the churches it serves.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a strong early work by an important Catholic church architect, distinctive polychrome stonework and a historically resonant rural setting.
What to notice
- Dark granite contrasted with red stone dressings.
- A small bellcote above the west gable.
- Shouldered openings on the attached presbytery.
Reading the surroundings
Check directly with the parish before visiting for worship or entry. Respect services and residential privacy, keep drives clear and do not assume the presbytery or surrounding estate is open.
Timeline
- Medieval period Fetternear served as a seasonal residence for Aberdeen’s bishops.
- 1859 George Goldie completed a new Catholic church and clergy house.
- Current parish structure The Inverurie Catholic parish continues to identify St John’s among its churches.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The present frequency of services at Fetternear and the survival of the original reredos were not confirmed.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: St John’s Catholic Church and Presbytery, Fetternear, LB2834 — Designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: LB2834 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
- Inverurie Catholic Parish: our churches — Current parish responsibility for St John’s and up-to-date contact and service context.
Location
OS grid reference NJ 71936 17733 · 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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