The Chapel

Sir William Cunliffe Brooks bulit the Chapel of St Lesmo in 1872, from the ruins of the former House of Braeloine. Several features of the House were included in the design of the Chapel, including the cast iron arched gateway, called a Yett.

The Chapel was built with a thatched roof and stained-glass windows, and the spaces between the stones of the walls are built are dotted with small pebbles (a technique known locally as "cherry-cocking"). Inside, the rafters are fashioned from whole trees and the joists are made from curiously twisted branches of locally grown Scotch Fir. The altar steps are of Glen Tanar granite, a soft but rich coloured granite, as is the floor of the passage. Later, deer antlers were hung from the roof and the seats have deerskin coverings.

A bell which was cast to order hangs outside the Chapel and bears the inscription of "St Lesmo".  He is the Holy Hermit who lived in Glen Tanar over 1,000 years ago and to whom the Chapel is dedicated. The Chapel was consecrated on 15 November 1871 by the Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney.

Improvements and alterations to the Chapel have been made over the years, including the replacement of the thatched roof with old slates from another building. A new organ was installed in 1997. The Chapel is registered as an independent Episcopal Chapel, and regular services take place throughout the summer. It is managed by The Glen Tanar Charitable Trust, and is, of course, in great demand for weddings. The Chapel of St Lesmo is easily accessed from Visitors Centre and is just a short walk from Glen Tanar Ballroom.