Crathie Kirk

When Billy Connolly took on the role of Queen Victoria’s trusted confidant John Brown on screen, it shone fresh light onto this remarkable relationship between royal and servant. Brown himself was buried here at Crathie Kirkyard, next to a church still noted for its beautiful stained glass.

Any visitors to north-east Scotland looking for some royal heritage have to pay a visit to Crathie Kirk. Located in the small village of Crathie, in the heart of the Cairngorms and a short hop across the River Dee from Balmoral Castle, the parish church is famous for being the place of worship of the Royal Family.

The current church has stood since 1893, having been built to replace the previous, smaller building by Queen Victoria. Constructed from local granite and Scots pine, Crathie Kirk was designed in a Gothic revival style by architect A.

Marshall Mackenzie and has received donations from many members of the Royal Family, including Victoria, her daughter Princess Beatrice, King Edward VII, King George V and Queen Elizabeth II.