A medieval churchyard has become a den for prostitutes and drug users – and has been left strewn with needles and condoms.
St Clement’s kirk – in the heart of the city’s red light district – was a popular place of worship for more than 450 years before closing its doors in the late 1980s.
The historic church graveyard has now become a haunt for sex workers, and numerous empty alcohol bottles and syringes have been left lying on the monuments.
A church was established on the site in 1498, but in 1828 local architect John Smith constructed the current building.
With the kirk closed, Aberdeen City Council is responsible for the upkeep of the churchyard.
Dominic Fairlie, chairman of the Aberdeen Civic Society, urged people to “respect” the city’s historic buildings.
He said: “It’s a great shame that the built environment of Aberdeen is not better looked after.
“People should really treat this piece of our heritage with a bit of respect.”
The church has associations with the Footdee – known locally as Fittie – fishing community going back centuries.
The congregation roll in 1980 showed 583 regular attendees.
Dyce, Bucksburn and Danestone councillor Barney Crockett, a member of Aberdeen City Heritage Trust, said it was important council chiefs worked with other partners to keep the churchyard tidy.
He said: “The church is an important part of Aberdeen’s heritage and it’s vital we keep what could be a great potential visitor attraction clean.
“The gravestones show tributes to some of the city’s historic traders and fishing communities.
“Things have changed over the decades, the church used to be surrounded by thousands of people but now it’s in a mostly industrial area.
“We must continue to work with our partners in the police to deal with these red light activities.”
The council’s infrastructure convener Neil Cooney added: “We have not been aware of a recurring issue within this location but now that it has been brought to our attention, we will address the situation immediately.”
