Saint Nathalan

Introduction

Dedication of the Catholic church of Saint Nathalan, on Golf Road in Ballater, took place on 2 May 1905.

History

The Catholic Directory of 1905 records a dedication choir of boys from Blairs under Father Miley and Mr Nisbet, and some thirty clergy formed in procession by Father Welsh, Master of Ceremonies. Sir Allan Mackenzie, Bart., of Glenmuick and the town Provost attended a fully pontifical service at which Professor McBain preached on the Real Presence. Father Matheson and his parishioners paid off £1,400 within two years, leaving the parish debt-free when Father Matheson moved to Huntly in 1908.

Architecture and furnishings

Design of the new church was the work of Archibald Macpherson of Edinburgh. Stone from the Inver Quarry near Braemar, a local source, was used to construct the church and the house. Internal paintwork was carried out in the church in 1928. In a 1990 repainting, navy blue covered the area above the sanctuary and gold stars were hand-painted there.

The present Stations of the Cross were acquired during Father John Matheson's time as parish priest, 1930-1943. Mrs Maria Buxton, a parishioner who died in 1935, left £200 so that framed pictures could be replaced by a new set of Stations of the Cross.

Parish life

The sister parishes of Saint Columba’s and Upper Deeside are made up of Saint Nathalan’s Ballater, Saint Columba’s Banchory, Saint Margaret’s Aboyne and Saint Andrew’s Braemar.