Descriptive Gazetteer Entry for Kinkell

Kinkell, a former parish in Garioch district, Aberdeenshire. It took its name of Kinkell (Gael. ` head church ') from the circumstance that six subordinate churches anciently belonged to its parsonage. The Lords Commissioners for the plantation of kirks in 1754 annexed one-third of it to Kintore, and the remainder to Keithhall or Monkegy, ordaining that the latter should thenceforth be called the united parish of Keithhall and Kinkell. A cattle and horse fair is held at Kinkell on the Wednesday after the last Tuesday of September o. s. The church, near the left bank of the Don, 2 miles SSE of lnverurie, was unroofed in 1771 to furnish materials for Keithhall church, and now is an utter ruin. Third Pointed in style, it seems to have been rebuilt in 1528 by Alexander Galloway, rector of Kinkell, who was also architect of the first Bridge of Dee at Aberdeen. It retains a sculptured tabernacle or aumbry for the Blessed Sacrament, a bas-relief of a crucifix and the celebration of Mass, and two-thirds of an incised slab, representing a knight in armour-Sir Gilbert de Greenlaw presumably, who fell at the battle of Harlaw (1411). Its carved font, however, after lying for many years exposed to wind and weather at Rubislaw Den, in 1851 was restored and placed in St John's Episcopal church, Aberdeen.—Ord. Sur., sh. 76, 1874. See vol. ii., pp. 776-779, of Alex. Smith's History of Aberdeenshire (Ab. 1875).


(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)

Linked entities:
Feature Description: "a former parish"   (ADL Feature Type: "countries, 4th order divisions")
Administrative units: Aberdeenshire ScoCnty
Place: Kinkell

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