Description

James Gillespie Graham, 1818-21. Perpendicular Gothic

Revival. Rectangular with clasping angle buttressed towers

and 4-stage W tower. Canted 5-sided buttressed apse added to

E gable by W and J Hay of Liverpool 1897. Coursed squared

Bourhouse sandstone rubble; ashlar dressings. Slate roof.

Mullioned and traceried pointed windows. Hoodmoulds above all

openings. Gabletted, crenellated parapet to apse, gables and

towers, resting on string course.

Entrance tower divided by string courses with openings to

each face at each stage. 4-centred doorways to porch; 2-light

cusped windows in 1st and 2nd stage with 3-light louvred

openings at belfry.

Tower flanked by tall aisle windows; latter repeated at E. N

and S walls 5 bays between outer corner tower; advanced

centre bay gabled with circular trefoiled window in gable

head.

INTERIOR: aisled with 5-bay pointed arcades on columns with

moulded capitals. Timber ceiling trusses exposed and

gothicised 1897. Gallery in W bay with traceried panelled.

Gothic style oak pulpit and sounding board (1918), communion

table (1934).

Plain leaded windows of 1897. Original galleries removed by W

and J Hay. Stained glass: central apse window Edward Frampton

(1901) flanked by Ballantine and Sons to left (1865) and

right (1871). 3-light S window by A L and C E Moore (1926). Wall-monument to George Home circa 1611 at E end of N aisle.

Renaissance Triumphal arch; incorporated from earlier church.

Polychrome marble and alabaster. 12ft high by 26ft wide.

Profiled kneeling figure centre, flanking Knight atlantes

supporting Justice and Wisdom figures. Reclining, figures in

arch and scrolled heraldic panel above. Possibly Italian

workmen employed: restored in 1897 by Grant Stevenson.

LAVABO: S of Home monument. W Birnie Rhind circa 1901. Shell

supported by pair of putti, probably alabaster. Dedicated to

Rev. Robert Buchanan.

GRAVEYARD: Rubble sandstone boundary wall extending S.

W WALL: mid 17th century wall-slab. Ionic columns with egg

and dart moulding, with weaponry reliefs and flanking

strapwork behind. Trumpet-blowing angel in centre arch above

illegibly weathered inscription panel. Escutcheon on crowning

pediment. Possibly made for a victim of battle of Dunbar.

W WALL: late 17th century wall-slab. Bipartite form with

channelled columns. Weathered inscription above with curved

pediment. Purves family monument; modern inscriptions in

arched recesses.

CENTRE: early 19th century diminutive Gothic building now

used as tool-house. Rubble and slates. Round arched door in

advanced pedimented bay, flanked by blind, Y-traceried

pointed arch lights.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. Prominent edifice on

raised site. Former large collegiate church of 1342, which

became Town Kirk 1560 with tower added 1739 on same site

exactly.

1818-21 building by Wall and Dickson contractors, Haddington;

cost $6,000 (Miller p 198).

Interior refurbishment of 1897 result of repeated fund

raising from 1883 instigated by Duchess Dowager of Roxburghe (Haddingtonshire Courier).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Dunbar Collegiate Church at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5314132

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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