The development of church life, however, was soon interrupted by the crisis in the national church, the Disruption, which led to over a third of the Church of Scotland members leaving to form the Free Church of Scotland. The Minister, the Rev. William Mitchell and almost all his congregation made their stance and became part of the Free Church. On 14 June 1843, Free Holburn Church was established by the new Free Church Presbytery of Aberdeen. The congregation worshipped in several places until 1844 when a fine granite building was completed at the corner of Justice Mill Lane and Bon-Accord Terrace.
From 1890, the Church Extension Committee of the Free Church Presbytery had been considering the excess of church provision in the city centre and the lack of it in the burgeoning suburbs. Eventually the decision was taken to approach the congregation of Holburn Church, inviting it to move to a new site west of the inner city. The congregation responded positively. In February 1892, the Kirk Session recorded: “its full approval of the site for the new church, Great Western Road, obtained from Mr Cook of Ashley House.”
The foundation stone was laid on 16 June 1893 and the building was completed and opened for worship in October 1894. The project was undertaken by a congregation of only 345 members and cost approximately £6,000. In 1901 came the union with the United Presbyterian Church and the title of the church changed to Holburn United Free Church. The present name, Holburn West, dates from 1929 when the United Free Churches merged with the Church of Scotland.
On the Ordnance Survey Map of 1867 the present parish area was shown as almost entirely rural but by 1925 the residential development had effected a complete transformation and all the modern parish of Holburn West was in existence. By 1925 the membership had risen to just over 400 and by 1942 to 1,689. In recent years it has fallen to just over 500. In the early 1940s the addition of a new larger hall was considered but the project did not come to fruition until August 1963 when it was dedicated by the minister, the Rev. Archibald Grant. The total cost had been £18,845.
During the 1950s a new heating system was installed and a major refurbishment of the Sanctuary took place. In the Minute Book of the Deacon’s Court of 1905, at the time of a redecoration of the sanctuary, there is mention of “frescoes on the rear and pulpit walls”. These are still in place: the Dove of the Holy Spirit and the Burning Bush on the rear wall and a depiction of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet and Jesus and the children on the “pulpit” (front) wall. The beautiful memorial window was unveiled and dedicated in 1924, the central light representing the Crucifixion, the left light the Adoration of the Magi, and the right light Christ preaching from the boat. The Communion table and chairs were dedicated in 1925 and the font in 1932.
The most recent change in the buildings has been the refurbishment of the Sanctuary, first discussed in the early 1990s, and finally started in October 2003. This entailed the removal of the pews and the pulpit, the levelling of the floor to pavement level (for easy disabled access through the front door), installing underfloor heating, and providing carpeting and chairs. The work was completed on time and the refurbished Sanctuary in use by Easter 2004. The cost was just over £200,000. The refurbishment provides a flexible space for different types of services and also for a variety of organisations. It also provides a welcoming area in the front vestibule. As a focal point for the refurbished Sanctuary, a Wall Hanging showing images of Aberdeen was crafted by a group of volunteers at the church. The Hanging was dedicated in January 2008.
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