St James's Exhibition > Explore > The Chancel and Choir Stalls

The Chancel and Choir Stalls

The chancel and sanctuary were completed in 1885 and increased the seating capacity of St James’s church to 520 at a time when there were some 400 communicants, 900 adherents, and 230 in the Sunday School.

The chancel ceiling is unusual.  It made of fine St Petersburg pinewood, in a ribbed form that is reputed to represent an upturned fishing boat.   At the time of its construction the fishing industry was very prosperous in Stonehaven, with hundreds of boats using the harbour, and many of the congregation belonged to fishing families.

The choir stalls were given to the church by Dean Christie to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary in 1927 of its consecration.  The carvings on the backs of the choir stalls are:

Organ side – back row

  1. i. a chrysanthemum, a marigold and a rose;
  2.  a lion;
  3.  a gourd;
  4.  a wolf;
  5.  a Michaelmas daisy;
  6.  a dragon;
  7.  a rose bud;
  8.  a galleon;
  9.  a gourd;
  10. an owl;
  11. a bunch of grapes;
  12. a monkey;
  13. a Michaelmas daisy.

Organ side – front row

  1. i. two hounds;
  2. three acorns and three pine cones;
  3.  three hazel nuts and two acorns;
  4. two roses;
  5. two doves.

Priest’s side – front row

  1.  a lapwing and a raven;
  2. a lily and a gourd;
  3. a pineapple and a bunch of grapes;
  4.  two roses;
  5.  a griffin and a dragon.

Priest’s side – back row

  1. i. a squirrel;
  2. a Michaelmas daisy;
  3.  a fish;
  4.  a rose;
  5. a hound;
  6.  a Michaelmas daisy;
  7.  a lion, full face;
  8.  an owl
  9.  a bunch of grapes;
  10. an unidentifiable flower;
  11.  a bunch of grapes;
  12. a daisy,
  13. a rose.

Photos of the carving at the back of the choir stalls

                                                       Top row is the south side left to right                                                    Bottom row is the north (organ side) left to right