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Urgent
Volunteers are wanted for the Torphins Gala Commiteee, the future of Gala Day could be at risk if not enough volunteers come forward.

Contact Dave Cowie on 013398 82065.


Morning Noon & Night Ltd.

This Coop store is in a fine early 20th Century church on Torphins main street.

" The Coop Society is owned and democratically controlled by its members and every member has an opportunity to play their part. "


Morning, Noon and Night Store, Torphins.

The Old Church,3 Craigour Rd,
Banchory, Kincardineshire AB31 4HE
Telephone : 01339 882207.
General Groceries, Lottery, Cashpoint, PayPoint.
Building History and Description

This former church stands in the heart of Torphins village, along the main road. It was built as a United Free Church at the start of the 20th century and stands in fairly small grounds with mature gardens to the north-west. The congregation later united with Church of Scotland, in 1929, and the church was re-named South Church. It was latterly in use as a church hall and Auction Room, but had generally lain redundant for some time, then used for many years as "Mother HUbbard" pine furniture retail store. "Mother Hubbard" closed in summer 2011, and the building reopening in November 2011 as a Co-op "Morning Noon and Night" Mini Market, whose existing smaller shop in the village it replaced.

The church was built in granite, with small stone pieces set between large blocks (known as pinning). The roof of the nave is slated.

former South Church, Torphins
Former United Free Church (South Church)

The north-east elevation, fronting the main road, consists of the nave's gable end and a fairly tall square tower. The nave has a three-light window made up of pointed-arch (lancet) openings with simple tracery and hoodmoulds. There are small panes of square glass, some coloured. Below the main window are pairs of small lancet windows. A group of three lancet vent openings are located in the gablehead. The corners of the gable have buttresses, which are built into the skews. A tall stone cross finial is mounted on the apex of the gable. The tower is fairly simple, with a pointed-arch entrance doorway to the north-west and small rectangular windows at ground level. There are small stair lights higher up in the structure and a belfry stage has large pointed-arch openings with hoodmoulds. At the top is a simple battlemented parapet. A slender (spike) spire rises from the top of the tower and is tiled (rather than slated).

The side elevations of the church are relatively simple, with tall and narrow lancet windows equally spaced along the length. The southern end of the building is taller, due to sloping ground, allowing for a series of rooms under the nave. These are lit by rectangular windows at ground level.

The south-west gable of the church has a tall apse, centrally placed in the gable. It has lancet windows at nave level and rectangular windows below, in the basement level. There is a small attachment at the south corner, which has a small door and rectangular windows. Above is a tall chimney, which reaches the level of the nave roof apex.

The original church interior fittings and furnishings have long since been removed when the building was originaly redeveloped, but retains the original visible wood roof beams and remaining Stain Glass windows.