Torphins

Mid deeside Church, Torphins : Dt : 1885

Church Session Clerk : Pam Auckland : 01339882722

Planned Additions: Permision has been granted (May 2011) for an extension to the church, including additional parking. The plans are available at Aberdeenshire Planning Web Site

Flower Rota Co-ordinator is Tracey Meiklejohn, Tel; 013398 82440

• Lumphanan : Peter Ferries : 013398 83250
  
• Torphins : Sheila Blair : 013398 82593
  
• Kincardine O'Neil : Iain Stewart : 013398 84474
  

Church Hall bookings :
Mrs Sheila Blair
Tel.013398 82593

This is an unusual church building with a striking interior, built between 1874 and 1875, designed by J Russel Mackenzie and possible showing influence of Alexander Ellis. It is located at the north end of the village of Torphins, and situated in wooded grounds with car parking all around. The site is raised above the road into Torphins and the manse sits slightly up the hill from the church, to the west. Commonly known as North Church when a former United Free Church in Torphins became South Church (now closed), it is now the only church in the area.

The church is long and low, with a narrow, rectangular nave, an apse at the east end and a tower to the north ,similar in Germanic style to some churches found in parts of Central / Northern Europe in the Mid 19th Century. The roof structure is slated and has a single metal ventilator on the ridge line. Large blocks of coursed granite were used to build the walls, and subsequent pointing has obscured a lot of the stonework.

The east end of the church forms the main focal point, with an apse, entrance porch and striking, tall dormer roofs above windows and entrance. The porch is reached by a stone stair case and has a row of windows and exposed timber in the gable. This leads into the apse, which forms a vestibule area before entry into the nave of the church. The apse has tall windows, necessitating tall, slender dormers, which are slated and have exposed timber.

The side elevations are long and low and have rectangular windows, which reach the wallhead. All the windows of the church have lattice glazing, apart from a single stained glass window in the south elevation. The junction of the nave and apse has a small, stepped buttress. The north elevation is dominated by a tall, rectangular tower. It has rectangular windows at ground level and pointed-arch, louvered belfry openings above. The piended roof shows Germanic influences, and is topped by a weather vane. The low, west gable features a three-light lancet window with stained glass.

The interior is dominated (as intended) by its imposing scissor-beam pine roof structure, which shows the influence of architect Alexander Ellis. The nave was designed with low walls and a tall roof to emphasise the internal roof structure. This creates a light and spacious space, heightened by the large dormer windows in the apse end of the church. The walls are painted white and have a number of stone memorials and locally-made wall hangings. The floors are covered by blue carpet.

The sanctuary at the west end of the church, is raised from the nave by several steps. A large organ occupies the north-west corner of the interior. The sanctuary has a carved wooden communion table and a fairly tall pupit, reached by wooden steps. The simple pews of the nave are in pine.