St Drostan's Church

St Drostan's Church stands at the head of the road down to the beach, a modest but ancient building marking one of the earliest Christian sites in northern Scotland. The current structure is largely medieval, but the site has been a place of worship for well over a thousand years.

Inside, an ancient stone baptismal font is the most striking object — rough, worn smooth by centuries of use, and reputedly dating to the foundation of the original church. The churchyard has headstones spanning several centuries. The church is not always open, but the exterior and churchyard are freely accessible.

things to do sight
A story
The baptismal font inside the church is believed to be one of the oldest in Scotland — tradition holds that St Drostan himself used it to baptise his first converts after landing at the bay below in 580 AD. The saint was a nephew of Columba and went on to found several other churches in the north-east before his death.