Crathie Kirk

Crathie Kirk is a small Church of Scotland parish church in the village of Crathie, Aberdeenshire. It sits beside the River Dee, a short walk from Balmoral Castle. The present building dates from 1895 and was designed by Elgin architect A. Marshall Mackenzie in the Gothic Revival style. Local granite forms the walls and Scots pine the roof, with materials donated by neighbouring estates. The church now shares a parish with Braemar and will soon include Glenmuick. A single standing stone near Rinabaich marks the site of an earlier church founded in the 9th century by Saint Manire. The church is famous for its royal connections. Every British monarch since Queen Victoria has worshipped here. Victoria laid the foundation stone in 1893 and donated stained glass windows and an organ. Princess Beatrice gave four bells, and Edward VII presented marble medallions. Elizabeth II donated a Bible bearing the royal coat of arms. After her death at Balmoral, a private service was held here in September 2022. The south transept is reserved for royal use, while the north transept holds family pews of the Farquharsons and Gordons. Inside, visitors find a Father Willis organ that stood here until 2003. The stained glass windows commemorate Reverend Norman MacLeod and Queen Victoria’s siblings. In the churchyard lies John Brown, Victoria’s devoted servant. The ruins of a 13th-century church dedicated to Saint Manire stand on the riverbank nearby. The surrounding landscape of the Cairngorms adds to the peaceful setting.