With a poignant chorus of Silent Night, members of historic Bourtie Parish Church bid a sad farewell to a centuries-old institution.
There has been a place of worship on the Aberdeenshire site for more than 800 years.
The A-listed building south of Oldmeldrum dates back to 1806, but Bourtie has been a place of Christian worship since at least 1199.
It was on a drizzly December morning that 825 years of history came to a close with the special commemorative service.
Hymns including O Come, All Ye Faithful, It Came Upon a Midnight Clear and In the Bleak Midwinter reverberated around the building.
Bourtie Parish Church ‘a place so rich in memories’
It comes as the Church of Scotland closes several buildings across the north-east, amid dwindling congregations.
Dozens of people, including former ministers, packed into the kirk to say goodbye.
Reverend Ailsa McDonald had the distinction of presiding over the final service.
In a statement on the Church of Scotland website, she said: “There is a sorrow in leaving behind a place so rich in history and memories
“As we bid farewell to Bourtie, we carry with us the lessons learned and the faith nurtured within these walls.”
Our photographer Darrell Benns went along to Bourtie Parish Church to capture the occasion:
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