St Sylvester's Roman Catholic Church, Institution Road, Elgin

CHURCH: Thomas Mackenzie, 1843-44. Alterations, William J

Devlin, Aberdeen, 1932. Gothic. 4-bay rectangular

plan orientated N/S with S gable to Institution Road.

Tooled ashlar, polished ashlar dressings; steeply pitched

slate roof. 3 cusped lancets to buttressed W elevation:

gabled porch to SW with moulded pointed arched entrance;

large traceried (14th century style) window fills S

gable with blind and ornamented bull's eye above.

Small buttressed stair turret to SW angle with truncated

spire; skews mainly saw-tooth; cross finials.

INTERIOR: simple interior, mostly original including

Gothic wooden screen separating entrance and bapistry

from seated area. Braced rafter roof with diagonal joists;

scissor braces to chancel roof; modern chancel furnishings.

FONT: circular white marble supported by squat central

column and 6 outer grey marble colonnettes standing on

hexagonal white marble base.

PRESBYTERY: also Thomas Mackenzie, 1843-44. Tooled

ashlar, rubble flanks, ashlar dressings. 2 storeys,

asymmetrical 5 bays. L-plan with S arm of L adjoining N

gable of church with linking passageway at re-entrant

angle. Long asymmetrical elevation to W, with entrance

and gable; 3 gabled 1st floor windows rise through

wallhead; and 12- and 16-pane sashes; octagonal ridge

chimney stack; saw-tooth skews; triangular skewputts; slate

roof.

SCHOOL: (Institution Road frontage only): George Melvin,

Elvin. Date 1872. Gothic. Tooled ashlar, polished

ashlar dressings. Single storey, 3-bay hall, S facing to

Institution Road and linked at W gable to St Sylvester's

Church. 2 square hood-moulded bipartites with Gothic

tracery; advanced and gabled porch to right with pointed

hood-mould and inscription over door; blind shaped

oculus above; saw-tooth skews; louvred ventilation gablet;

metal ridge ventilator; slate roof; tiled ridge.