Buildings

Church and burial-ground

The Church buildings, of local red sandstone, are widely regarded as a gem of small scale Georgian Church architecture and were designed by the prominent architect James Playfair, father of William Henry Playfair, architect of much of Edinburgh’s New Town.

Built in 1789, the oblong Gothic Revival Church is built of ashlar and slate, with curved crenellated gables, pinnacled buttresses, a crocketed mort bell niche and a poor box dated 1681.

It has a significant gothic interior with plaster rib vaults and was considered unique until the second decade of the next century. Refurbished in the early 20th century the Guild Room was added in 1929.

The buildings are well maintained, inside and out, and can be managed comfortably for the foreseeable future by the current congregation.

The medieval parish church of Farnell stood in the burial-ground within which the present church stands. In 1849 a Class III Cross-slab (now in Montrose Museum) was found 'in the line of the foundation of the old Kirk', and when the burial-ground was extended in 1870' 'a line of coffins, carefully constructed of stone slabs', probably long cist, was discovered to the East of the Church; two cross-heads and two medieval grave covers, one bearing a sword, the base of a cross and 'some old English letters in relief, were also found. A dedication cross is built into the wall of the burial-ground.

The symbol-bearing slab of old red sandstone measures 2.05m x 6.9m (maximum width). It is roughly rectangular in shape with a pedimented top and is ornamented in relief on two faces. The front bears a Celtic cross containing interlaced panels and zoomorphic interlacing also. The back shows the temptation of Adam and Eve, the figure of an angel, 2 attenuated monsters and a cross, all encased with in a 'jewelled' margin. The stone is entirely broken across on the reverse side and is clamped with a support.