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Saint Mary's Old Chapel And Menzies' Apartments, Blairs College

A Category B Listed Building in North Kincardine, Aberdeenshire

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Coordinates

Latitude: 57.0982 / 57°5'53"N

Longitude: -2.1942 / 2°11'39"W

OS Eastings: 388330

OS Northings: 800814

OS Grid: NJ883008

Mapcode National: GBR XL.1VSZ

Mapcode Global: WH9QW.8VCC

Plus Code: 9C9V3RX4+78

Entry Name: Saint Mary's Old Chapel And Menzies' Apartments, Blairs College

Listing Name: Blairs College, St Mary's Old Chapel and Menzies' Apartments

Listing Date: 18 June 1972

Category: B

Source: Historic Scotland

Source ID: 350211

Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB16481

Building Class: Cultural

ID on this website: 200350211

Location: Maryculter

County: Aberdeenshire

Electoral Ward: North Kincardine

Parish: Maryculter

Traditional County: Kincardineshire

Tagged with: Chapel

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Description

Earlier 19th century neo-classical chapel, possibly with earlier core, but substantially remodelled after 1827 by John Gall, architect, Aberdeen, under the supervision of Rev Gordon and John Menzies. Linked at S to 2 bays of 3-storey domestic range originally built as John Menzies' private apartments, which communicates both with the chapel to the S, and with the 3-storey old mansion house to the N; overlooks the walled garden.

CHAPEL: near symmetrical, single-storey chapel; red brick exterior cladding to W, granite rubble with pinnings to E (rear) elevation, all with grey tooled ashlar dressings and margins, as also at 2 bays of Menzies' apartments link block. Central 3-window pedimented block projecting to W with central W-facing arched door (blocked), flanked by pair tall arched windows with Y-traceried upper sashes, attic storey above with 3 square windows with 12-pane sash and case glazing over string course and below pediment, broad coped apex stack; entrance to chapel now via small door in N flank of projecting bay. 3 set-back bays to either side, each bay with identical arched window and Y-traceried sash and case window, tripartite dormer windows with slated piend roofs in slope of slated roof above.

INTERIOR: no longer in ecclesiastical use. Re-orientated. Altar originally at N end; attic above communicates with Menzies' apartments to N. 4 flutted and reeded Ionic columns with gilt volutes around square central space, saucer dome with oculus over.

Statement of Interest

John Menzies and Rev Gordon supervised the alterations and extension of the original house. Menzies donated ?500 towards the fitting out of a suite of rooms which he retained for himself, in the link block between the chapel and old mansion house; he remained in these apartments, overlooking the walled garden, for 3 years before leaving for Edinburgh.

A view of the interior of the chapel when still in ecclesiastical use is reprinted in BLAIRS magazine, 1982.

"More than two-thirds of the present chapel, and both the vestries are new (1827)" [Rev Gordon, Blairs, 1981].

External Links

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