Anwoth Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Anwoth Parish Church |
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The west gable and tower
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| 54°52′41″N 4°12′41″W / 54.87806°N 4.21139°W | |
| Location | Anwoth, Dumfries and Galloway |
| Country | Scotland |
| Denomination | Church of Scotland |
| History | |
| Founded | 1626 |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Privately owned events venue |
| Heritage designation | Category B listed building |
| Designated | 1971 |
Anwoth Parish Church is a historic building in Anwoth, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. It was built in 1826 to be the main church for the local area, known as a 'parish'. The church was designed by an architect named Walter Newall.
This church replaced an older one, Anwoth Old Church, which was built in 1626. When the new church was finished, parts of the old one were taken down. Today, Anwoth Parish Church is recognized as a special building and is a Category B listed building. This means it's important for its history and architecture.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
Early Days of Anwoth Churches
People have been worshipping in the Anwoth area for a very long time. Records show religious activity here as far back as the 1100s. Around that time, the local area was given to Holyrood Abbey, a famous abbey in Edinburgh. A special stone with a cross carved on it, from about 1100, was found here in the late 1800s.
The Old Church and Samuel Rutherford
The first Anwoth church, called Anwoth Old Church, was built nearby in 1626. A year later, in 1627, a well-known minister named Samuel Rutherford came to lead the church. He was invited by John Gordon of Kenmure, a local leader.
Rutherford stayed at Anwoth until 1636. He had some disagreements with the church leaders of his time. Because of these disagreements, he was not allowed to preach and had to leave for Aberdeen. The old church continued to be used for many years, even getting major improvements in 1710. It was used until the new church was built in 1826. The old church's ruins are still standing and are also a very important historical site.
Building the New Church
The current Anwoth Parish Church was built in 1826. Walter Newall created the plans for the building. William and John Robertson, along with Andrew Mackie, were the builders.
Over the years, the church had some updates. A small room called a vestry was added later in the 1800s. In 1905, the church got a new roof, new furniture, and a raised gallery. These changes were done by architects James Barbour and John McLintock Bowie.
More changes happened between 1958 and 1959. These were designed by Antony Curtiss Wolffe. He was an architect who had to leave Germany before World War II and later settled in Dumfries and Galloway. In 1971, Anwoth Parish Church was officially named a Category B listed building.
What the Church Looks Like
Anwoth Parish Church has a simple, rectangular design. It's built in a style called Neo-gothic, which means it looks like older Gothic churches. The outside walls are made of rough stone, and it has smooth red sandstone details.
Outside the Church
At the west end of the church, there's a square tower. This tower has three parts, separated by stone lines. The bottom two parts have pairs of tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. The top part, where the bells would be (the belfry), has three lancet windows. The very top of the tower has battlements (like on a castle) and pointed decorations called pinnacles.
The church has three main sections, called bays. Each section has windows with a special shape called a tudor arch. These windows have wooden bars, called mullions, and fancy stone patterns, known as tracery. There's also a small, one-story room called a vestry attached to the east end of the church. It was built later using similar materials.
Inside the Church
When you go inside, you can see the wooden roof structure, called a king post truss roof, which was put in during the 1905 renovations. Along the west wall, there's a raised gallery (a kind of balcony) that was also built at that time.
Behind the main speaker's stand (the pulpit), there's a small pipe organ. This organ was installed in 1924. On the east wall, you'll find a white marble monument. It was carved by William Birnie Rhind and honors William Francis John Maxwell. He was the person who rebuilt the family tomb (called a mausoleum) in the churchyard of the old church.
There's also a special memorial inside. It's a white marble plaque on the wall. This memorial remembers the people from the Anwoth area who died in the First and Second World Wars.
What Happens There Now
Anwoth Parish Church stopped being used as a regular church in 2002. The Church of Scotland sold the building to a private owner. Now, it's used as a place for different events, like weddings or concerts.
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