Mausoleum, Dyke Parish Church

CHURCH: James Smith (Nairn) and James Smith (Auldearn) with Colin Williamson, (extra contractor), 1781. Renovated 1952.

Rectangular church with symmetrical 6-bay S front elevation. Pinned rubble front, rubble flanks and rear; tooled and polished ashlar dressings. Wide square-headed entrances surmounted by tall round-headed keystoned windows in outer bays with 4 similar full length windows filling centre 4 bays; smaller gallery window in W gable only. All fenestration with blocked imposts, shutter hinges and multi-pane glazing.

Birdcage bellcote at W gable apex, ball finial at E. Slate roof with 2 ridge ventilators.

INTERIOR: original layout; gallery now ceiled. 3-decker pulpit in centre of S wall flanked by stairs with slender balusters (sounding board survives above present ceiling). 5-sided panelled gallery front with (1952) pews grouped around pulpit in ground floor and gallery. Entrance doors fitted with long iron hinges on inner face. 1613 tombstone re-set in SW entrance lobby; 1790 mural memorial under gallery.

CHURCH HALL: adapted from early-mid 18th century rectangular burial mausoleum, probably accommodated in earlier church aisle, linked to E gable of church by narrow corridor incorporating Gothic gabled porch (1855-60) presenting, with hall, a S facing irregular double gabled frontage. Tooled front, harl pointed rubble elsewhere with some re-used margins and ashlar dressings.

Mid 18th century, naive classical doorpiece flanked by engaged Ionic columns supporting entablature and extended bracketted cornice (possibly Colin Williamson of Dyke). Blind hoodmoulded Y-tracery window above doorpiece (probably re-used); later 19th century apex finial and skewputts at S; early 18th century run-off skewputts at rear.

3 narrow square-headed irregularly spaced windows in E elevation with chamfered or roll-moulded jambs, closed with iron bars and later lattice-pane glazing.

INTERIOR: mausoleum converted as hall and vestry (1948) and linked to church by corridor. 1446 tombstone set in vestry wall. Entrance via Gothic gabled porch closed.

BURIAL GROUND: dry stone walled burial ground surrounds church. 18th and 19th century tombstones.

WAR MEMORIAL GATE ARCH: Dr P MacGregor-Chalmers, 1921-22. Tooled rubble, tooled ashlar dressings; round-headed arch under gabled overthrow with apex cross and niche containing sword and laurel wreath. Short coped quadrants and double wooden gates. Inscribed plaques to dead of 1914-18 and 1939-45 flank gates.