Reflections from the Pew 50

This is one on a series on the church buildings in our grouping – this week Dalgety Bay Parish Church.

Dalgety Parish church is a hall church designed by Marcus Johnston, built in 1981 and extended in 1991. Under its asymmetric roof are the worship area and a suite of halls which are used by congregation and local community groups. War Memorial in grounds.

The current parish church replaced the previous church which was now on the outskirts of the town. It in turn was built in 1830 to replace the previous parish church (St. Bridget’s). In 1982 this church become the Cornerstone Church. It is surrounded by a small graveyard and is entered on the eastern side by a tree lined driveway.

Dalgety Parish Church’s website give a more indepth look at the history of the churches – click here.

St Bridget’s Kirk was the original parish church and is situated in a graveyard which overlooks the Firth of Forth. It was was built to serve the old village of Dalgety; this village had disappeared by 1836. The original church on this site was built before 1178. The original church was largely reconstructed after the Reformation and a number of private aisles were added. It was abandoned in 1830, when a new parish church was built on a site further to the north.

There is a fourth church in Dalgety – Donibristle Chapel. It was built as a private mortuary chapel for Donibristle House and nine earls of Moray are buried here. Donibristle House has now been demolished and the town of Dalgety Bay has been built on the lands formerly belonging to the house. The chapel is now therefore surrounded by a modern housing development.

We can see how the church has changed and adapted to the different times over the centuries.

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