Greyfriars Church, Aberdeen

Greyfriars Church

Greyfriars Church is a Category A Listed building in Aberdeen, Scotland. It was designed by the architect Alexander Marshall Mackenzie and built in 1903. It is situated on Broad Street and forms the south-east corner of Marischal College, also designed by Mackenzie.[1]

History

A priory was built in the area in 1469. Around 1525 Bishop Dunbar started a new church.[2] This was completed and occupied in 1532 in Pre-Reformation days by Franciscan monks. It was retained for Protestant worship after the Reformation, but the monastery element was demolished to create Marischal College (attaching the church) in 1593.[3]

In 1605, 1616 and 1640 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland was held here (rather than its usual venue in Edinburgh).[2]

In 1749 the church was redesignated as a chapel-of-ease to the Kirk of St Nicholas, a status which continued until 1828.

Notable ministers

Due to the physical connection between buildings, many ministers also served concurrently as Principal of Marischal College.

• Robert Barron 1624 to 1635
• Thomas Blackwell 1711 to 1728
• Robert Pollock 1745 to 1760
• Rev Prof Alexander Gerard 1760 to 1771
• Rev Dr George Campbell 1771 to 1795
• William Laurence Brown
• Daniel Dewar 1814 to 1819

References

1. "Aberdeen, Broad Street, Greyfriars Church | Canmore". canmore.org.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
2. Fasti Ecclesiae Scoticanae; vol. 5; by Hew Scott
3. "Aberdeen, Broad Street, Greyfriars Church | Canmore".

57°08′55″N 2°05′45″W