St. Mary’s is currently the pro-cathedral for the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney in the Scottish Episcopal Church. It has held this designation since 2020. The church, which is located in the West End of the city is affectionately known as ‘the ”The Tartan Kirkie’ owing to the different varieties of granite and patterned roof tiles used in it’s construction.

St. Mary’s was founded in 1863 by the Rev. Frederick George Lee, previously the rector at St. John’s Church on Crown Terrace also in Aberdeen. Rev. Lee held ‘high church’ ideals which led to a clash with Bishop Thomas Suther and this resulted in him along with a large proportion of the poorer part of the congregation leaving with him. They set up a chapel in an old Baptist church on Correction Wynd which was already dedicated to St Mary until Lee bought the land for the church in Carden Place. Lee designed the church himself, helped by the architect Archibald Elliot. It opened on 30th March, 1864 as a proprietary chapel.

Lee unfortunately bankrupted himself with the building of St. Mary’s and fled to London. Bishop Suther also refused to consecrate the church until it’s debts were paid off along with the toning down of it’s ‘high church’ decoration. After a series of incumbents over the next 25 years, the debt was finally paid off, helped by the mysterious receipt of a parcel containing £186 in gold! The church was finally consecrated on 16th April, 1890.