Pitsligo Church

Category

Library Item

Item no

31448

Title

Pitsligo Church

Artist / maker

Ross, Thomas

Date

1876

Size

38.0 x 27.5 cm

Type

Watercolour

Location

Art and Design Library

Thomas Ross was born at Wardheads, Errol, and attended local schools before going to Glasgow around 1855 to work as an assistant to architect Alexander Kirkland.
In 1862 he began as an assistant to David MacGibbon in Edinburgh, and was made a partner in the firm of MacGibbon and Ross in 1872. Ross began sketching the architecture of Scotland along with his senior partner, contributing to the latter's public lectures, and culminating in the pair's major publications.

Pitsligo Parish Church was built in around 1630 and abandoned at the end of the 19th century when a new church was opened alongside. It contains ''The Pitsligo Pew" which takes up a whole transept of the church and, at one time, would have acted as a gallery or loft where the laird, his family and servants sat during worship. It is raised above the main body of the church to denote the laird's importance over the commoners of the congregation. The oak pew features dozens of elaborately carved symbols, family coats of arms and the initials of Lord Alexander Pitsligo and his wife, Dame Isabella Keith. The front canopy of the pew is supported by six pillars. An intricately carved screen divides the front seats from the more modest rear seats which would have been used by the laird's servants.

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