St Mary's Church

Heritage Site in Kincardineshire

Scotland

St Mary's Church

Allerdyce Street (A957), Stonehaven Looking southward. — Allerdyce Street (A957), Stonehaven Credit: Peter Wood

St Mary's Church is a historic heritage site located in the picturesque town of Kincardineshire in Scotland. The church dates back to the 12th century and is considered one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in the region.

The church is situated in a prominent position on a hill overlooking the town, offering stunning views of the surrounding countryside. It is built of local sandstone, which gives it a distinctive warm color and adds to its charm and character.

The exterior of St Mary's Church features a striking tower with a spire that can be seen from miles around. The tower is adorned with intricate carvings and decorative elements, showcasing the craftsmanship of the time. The church also has a beautiful arched entrance, which is flanked by stone pillars.

Inside, the church boasts a spacious nave with a wooden roof that showcases the skill of medieval carpenters. The walls are adorned with stained glass windows depicting biblical scenes and saints, adding a touch of color and spirituality to the interior.

St Mary's Church has played an important role in the religious and cultural life of the community for centuries. It continues to hold regular services and is also a popular venue for weddings and other special events.

Visitors to St Mary's Church can enjoy the peace and tranquility of the surroundings, as well as admire the architectural beauty and historical significance of this well-preserved heritage site.

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St Mary's Church Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 56.978/-2.19 or Grid Reference NO8887. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Allerdyce Street (A957), Stonehaven

Looking southward.

Peter Wood

Stonehaven Bay

A view across the bay from the harbour area towards the newer part of the town.

Gordon Hatton

Aircraft sculpture at Stonehaven

There are five such superb sculptures along the sea wall at Stonehaven. This one has a small plaque attached to the rock to say that this is a model of a Norwegian Seaplane which landed in the bay in April 1940, thus escaping the German invasion of Norway. The plane was piloted by Stein Gustavvson Abildso.

Gordon Hatton

A Scottish delicacy

You may have thought that reports of the deep fried Mars bar being a delicacy in Scotland was a mere myth, but this sign on the wall of a chip shop in Stonehaven would confirm the truth. This contributor wasn't brave enough to try the dish.

Gordon Hatton

Old milestone

John Briggs used this 'C listed' property at 19 Bridgfield until earlier in 2021. It is at the south side of the bridge over Carron Water which is undergoing some flood defence works. In the recess near the blue hoarding is a milestone and below it a slightly recessed stone plaque. The bridge was built in 1781, widened in 1885 and rebuilt in 1973.

John Riddell

Ordnance Survey Flush Bracket G897

This bracket can be found on the wall of the Town Hall, Stonehaven. The recorded details give a height of 5.5802 metres above sea level. For more details see : Link

Peter Wood

Mains of Cowie

The home farm for Cowie House, about 500 metres to the north east. The farmhouse (LB9387 Link

) and extensive steadings to the right (LB9349 Link

) have separate C-listings. In the foreground is the former A92 main road to Aberdeen.

Bill Harrison

Former A92 road

This was once the main road from Stonehaven to Aberdeen but has been downgraded since the Stonehaven by-pass was built.

Bill Harrison

Geological interest at Cowie

Cliffs of the Cowie red sandstone formation (sedimentary bedrock formed approximately 426 to 431 million years ago in the Silurian Period) face onto a wave-cut platform of interbedded Castle Of Cowie sandstone and siltstone, formed at the same time. In the foreground, much darker rocks of an intrusion of igneous magma, being part of the North Britain Siluro-Devonian calc-alkaline dyke suite: quartz, feldspar and porphyry formed approximately 359 to 444 million years ago in the Devonian and Silurian Periods. All this happened when the land mass that was to become Scotland was south of the equator.

Bill Harrison

Scene at the Old Kirk Shore

Red sandstone cliffs and boulders and a wave-cut platform of interbedded sandstone and mudstone.

Bill Harrison

Eroded sandstone cliff at the Old Kirk Shore

Bill Harrison

Wave-cut platform, Old Kirk Shore

The interbedded sandstone and mudstone strata have been turned by 90 degrees and eroded to give a striking effect.

Bill Harrison

Colourful sandstone cliff, Old Kirk Shore

The ruin of St Mary's Church can just be seen on the hill in the background.

Bill Harrison

Wave-cut platform

The vertical strata of sandstone and mudstone can be clearly seen in the blown-up photo.

Bill Harrison

Clubhouse, Stonehaven Golf Club

Bill Harrison

Ruin of St Mary's Chapel, Cowie

The chapel associated with Cowie Castle was built in the 13th Century and suppressed after the Reformation although burials continued until the 20th Century. Scheduled Monument SM5584 Link

Bill Harrison

Dead-house, St Mary's Chapel, Cowie

The vaulted structure (also called a mort house) in the foreground was built to foil body snatchers supplying corpses to the anatomy schools at the universities in Aberdeen in the early 19th Century. B-listed: LB9383 Link

Bill Harrison

Memorial to the Stonehaven lifeboat disaster

Four of the crew of the lifeboat St George drowned while trying to enter Aberdeen Harbour after going to assist Grace Darling of Blyth, which foundered between Stonehaven and Aberdeen on 27 February 1874.

Bill Harrison

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St Mary's Church is located at Grid Ref: NO8887 (Lat: 56.978, Lng: -2.19)

Unitary Authority: Aberdeenshire

Police Authority: North East