Located some twelve miles west of Aberdeen and north of the River Dee
is the church of Drumoak in the parish of the same name. References to
this parish can be traced back to the 12th century in a bull of Pope
Adrian IV. The present day church however is much more modern, dating
from 1836. It is a fine elegant structure in the Gothic style of
architecture and was originally designed to seat 650 - though I doubt
that it has ever reached that capacity. Please spend a little time
admiring the building before moving on to the graveyard. Best seen from
a distance it is a real treat to the eyes. See my photo on the right for
a small taster!
The graveyard, located mainly to the east and south of the church
holds a little over 300 stones, dating from the 1850's to the present
day. The grounds are still in use. As is typical of many Scottish
churchyards in rural areas the stones are not given to ornamentation but
nonetheless are well worth examination. Most stones are constructed
using the local grey granite, once abundant in Aberdeen and surrounding
areas.
The village of Drumoak has expanded greatly in recent years with a
large housing development to the south of the churchyard. Fortunately
there is still countryside between the two and you can continue to enjoy
the grounds as they were intended. Parking is easy with a road running
along the eastern side.
The grounds are in excellent condition with well laid out paths,
mature trees, and well trimmed shrubs and grass to enjoy. There was no
sign of vandalism or other damage to the site when I visited. Long may
that continue.
Well worth a look, especially if you have ancestors from that area.
Often overlooked and overshadowed by the better known churches further
west and south. For those reasons alone I recommend you give it a visit.
If you require a specific gravestone photo from the above send me your relevant details and
I'll e-mail you what I have. Contact me
here
Click on photos below to enlarge