This striking Gothic church was designed by noted Aberdeen architect Alexander Ellis and built by local contractors Sinclair & Hardie from 1862-4, but Ellis had to wait until 1891-92 to complete his entire vision for the building, when sufficient funds were raised to build its handsome battlemented tower, containing a vestry, meeting room and belfry. Major alterations were then made to the chancel by Alexander Ross in 1899, the church was entirely redecorated in 1986 and significant restoration work was undertaken in 2008-09.

The foundation stone for the church was laid on 16th April 1863, the Feast Day of St Magnus the Martyr, the 12th century Earl of Orkney who was martyred around 1117, and the building opened for services in April 1864, exactly a year later. It was formally consecrated by the Rt Rev Thomas GS Suther, the Episcopal Bishop of Aberdeen, on the 27th June that year, when he also dedicated the building to St Magnus and confirmed 29 members of the Episcopal clergy that day as well.

When it opened it had seating for around 250 and its beautiful chancel arch was described in one newspaper as “peculiarly striking and graceful.”  The two handsome rose windows, were filled with 12 stained glass roundels, depicting a range of biblical imagery. Windows depicting St John the Evangelist, St Margaret of Scotland, the Virgin Mary and Christ and St James, by the noted architect and designer Sir Ninian Comper, were relocated to St Magnus from the chapel of the former “House of Charity” convent house on Knab Road (now a guest house) in 1969 and installed in 1973. Look out for Comper’s famous ‘strawberry’ signature, a tribute to his father, the Rev John Comper, who died while distributing strawberries to the poor in Aberdeen.

Other items to look out for include a Paschal candle stand made by local artist Cecil Tait and a war memorial tablet to the 22 officers and men of the Canadian Air Force who died in Shetland during World War Two. Marking the island’s proud links with Scandinavia, the small room in the tower above the vestry was converted into a small chapel in 1972 and dedicated to St Olaf, the 11th century martyr King of Norway. Something to listen out for is the “Peerie Magnus”, the church’s replacement bell that was cast and installed 2009-10 by the famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London.