Roman Catholic Parish of St Columba & Upper Deeside
St Columba’s Banchory RC Church, togheter with three other churches: St Margaret’s Aboyne, St Nathalan’s Ballater and St Andrew’s Braemar, located along the River Dee, form two sister parishes: St Columba’s and Upper Deeside.
Both parishes, and all four churches, are part of the RC Diocese of Aberdeen and are served by a priest based in Banchory.
Our Logo
The logo of our parishes represents the unity of four churches—dedicated to St Columba, St Margaret, St Nathalan, and St Andrew—forming a single cross. Its design is inspired by Celtic knots, a traditional motif from this region, especially associated with Iona and St Columba.
St Columba’s Banchory
Established in 1931
An independent parish serving an estimated Catholic population of around 400.
It also hosts the parish office for the Upper Deeside Parish.
St Margaret’s Aboyne
Established in 1874
In 1994, it was united with the parishes of Ballater and Braemar to form the Upper Deeside Parish, which now has an estimated Catholic population of around 200.
St Nathalan’s Ballater
Established in 1905
In 1994, it was united with the parishes of Ballater and Braemar to form the Upper Deeside Parish, which now has an estimated Catholic population of around 200.
St Andrew’s Braemar
Established in 1703
In 1994, it was united with the parishes of Ballater and Braemar to form the Upper Deeside Parish, which now has an estimated Catholic population of around 200.