Basic Site Details

Name: St Nicholas Church
City or county: Aberdeen
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: A listed
Grid ref:
Notes: St Nicholas comprising:
Centre tower and aisles (entered here with main entry)
Transepts
St Mary's Crypt under East Church- see separate entry
East Church - see separate entry
West Church - this is by James Gibbs and no entry here at present
Churchyard with gates and screen wall - see separate entry

Monument to Ann Allardyce by John Bacon, 1791. memorial brass to Duncan Liddeld. Died 1613, by Garpard Bruydegoms, Antwerp.

Provost's pew designed by William Crystall, 1724

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1West Kirk of St Nicholas  

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Church  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 4Back WyndYes 
Item 2 of 4Correction WyndYes 
Item 3 of 4SchoolhillYes 
Item 4 of 4Union StreetYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 121484 Build/constructionWork being carried out -John Gray appointed master mason
Item 2 of 121490s  Stone being quarried for church.
Item 3 of 121495 Build/constructionRoof being built
Item 4 of 121508 Build/constructionContract for stalls. Remant of stalls probably now form the desk front part of the pew on the west wall.
Item 5 of 1215101511Build/constructionRoof leaded
Item 6 of 121732  William Adam reported on required remedial work
Item 7 of 121741 Plans drawn upJames Gibbs provided two schemes for rebuiling
Item 8 of 12c. 1741 Build/constructionPulpit - partly following Gibbs's design
Item 9 of 1217511755ReconstructionGibbs' scheme built
Item 10 of 1218751876 Tower and spire, restoration and decoration of aisles
Item 11 of 121922 AdditionWar memorial set into front of west gallery
Item 12 of 121950s  Cottier decorative scheme painted out

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 13John Gray M1484 Appointed master mason
Item 2 of 13Thomas Barry J1490s Contracted to quarry stone for church.
Item 3 of 13John Fendour J1495 Contracting for the roof
Item 4 of 13John Fendour K1508 Choir stalls -one part perhaps remaining in the desk front of the pew on the west wall of the central bay.
Item 5 of 13George Bisset K15101511Roof leaded.
Item 6 of 13William Adam B1732 Drew up report on remedial work as church had had to be abandoned.
Item 7 of 13James Gibbs C1741 Provided 2 designs for rebuilding
Item 8 of 13Archibald Chessillis L1741 Pulpit - with James Heriot- only partly following Gibbs' design
Item 9 of 13James Heriot L1741 Pulpit - with Archibald Chessillis - only partly following Gibbs' design.
Item 10 of 13Daniel Cottier A1875 Interior decoration under Smith's supervision
Item 11 of 13J & W Smith A18751876Tower and spire, restoration of aisles
Item 12 of 13William Smith II A18751876Tower and spire, restoration of aisles
Item 13 of 13William Kelly N1922 War memorial - set into front of west gallery

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

Child Structures

This structure or site has the following component or child structures (click on an item to view details):
 Building NameNotes
Item 1 of 3St Nicholas Church churchyard, gates and tombs and screen wallRailings made by Henry Barry & Cook's foundry in Loch Street.
Item 2 of 3St Nicholas Church, St Mary's Crypt under East Church 
Item 3 of 3St Nicholas East Parish Church 

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 5Brogden, W A1998Aberdeen: an illustrated architectural guideSecond editionEdinburgh: The Rutland Pressp13
Item 2 of 5Donnelly, Max1999Daniel Cottier, Pioneer of Aestheticism The Decorative Arts Society Journal, 23, pp 33-51pp 42-3
Item 3 of 5MacInnes, Ranald1992The Aberdeen guide  p92
Item 4 of 5Sharples, J, Walker, D W and Woodworth, M2015The Buildings of Scotland: Aberdeenshire South and Aberdeen London and New Haven: Yale University Presspp22, 30,33, 103, 118, 119, 121, 123, 125-6
Item 5 of 5Website of St Nicholas Church www.kirk-of-st-nicholas.org.uk   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 2Aberdeen Journal3 February 1875   
Item 2 of 2Aberdeen Journal12 April 1876   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register19966