St. Mary’s was founded by the Rev. Frederick George Lee who was previously Rector of St. John’s, Crown Terrace, Aberdeen, in 1863. He and his churchwardens at St. John’s had a dispute which was based on Lee’s High Church affiliations, and Lee left, taking a large proportion of the poorer part of the congregation with him. He set up a chapel, already dedicated to St. Mary, in an old Baptist church in Correction Wynd, and the congregation worshipped there until Lee bought land in the newly laid out Carden Place to build the present church. He designed the church himself, helped by the architect Archibald Elliot, and opened it as a proprietary chapel on 30th. March, 1864.
The variety of granites and patterned roof tiles earned it the nickname ‘The Tartan Kirkie’. The east end sustained severe damage during an air raid in April 1943. Reconstructed 1952. Altar triptych by Westlake (c.1862) in the crypt. The church is home to a Samuel Green chamber organ, built in 1778. Display of historical photographs in the choir vestry (1905) adjoining church.
The Architect Alexander Ellis lived at 66 Springbank Terrace, in the city (see blue plaque at that location).
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Background Photo © Bill Harrison (cc-by-sa/2.0)