King's College Chapel

King's College Chapel, Aberdeen
©2023 Gazetteer for Scotland

King's College Chapel, Aberdeen

One of the best examples in Scotland of a collegiate church, King's College chapel, with its distinctive crown tower, was built in 1500. The interior retains its original ceiling, intricate chain stalls and rood screen while the windows largely date from the 19th and 20th centuries, including stained glass by Douglas Strachan (1875 - 1950). The crown tower fell and was restored in 1633. Another restoration took place in 1891, led by Robert Rowand Anderson (1834 - 1921). William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen (1431 - 1514) and founder of King's College, lies buried in the chapel. The original tomb was damaged by Covenanters in the 17th century, but the University commissioned a near replica of their founder's tomb in 1911, which now stands outside.

In 2000, the University organised a traditional Latin mass in the Chapel to celebrate its 500th anniversary, only the second time mass has been held in the Chapel since the Reformation in the middle of the 16th century.


Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry arrow

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better