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Latitude: 55.0686 / 55°4'7"N
Longitude: -3.6073 / 3°36'26"W
OS Eastings: 297459
OS Northings: 576086
OS Grid: NX974760
Mapcode National: GBR 397T.TV
Mapcode Global: WH5WJ.KVGP
Plus Code: 9C7R399V+C3
Entry Name: Steeple Tower, St Andrew's RC Pro-Cathedral, Shakespeare Street, Dumfries
Listing Name: Shakespeare Street, Towers of Old St Andrews Cathedral
Listing Date: 6 March 1981
Category: B
Source: Historic Scotland
Source ID: 362951
Historic Scotland Designation Reference: LB26342
Building Class: Cultural
Also known as: Dumfries, Shakespeare Street, St Andrew's Rc Pro-cathedral, Steeple Tower
ID on this website: 200362951
Location: Dumfries
County: Dumfries and Galloway
Town: Dumfries
Electoral Ward: Nith
Traditional County: Dumfriesshire
Tagged with: Architectural structure
2 broadly similar Romanesque towers, now free-standing,
remains of pro-cathedral burnt 1961. Both towers are
square-plan, W-facing and with round-arched doors, openings
and recessed panels, clasping pilaster strips, louvred
bipartite belfry in each top stage; some arcaded corbel tables.
Red ashlar, exposed rubble where church formerly adjoined.
North tower: "designed by the Honourable Marmaduke C Maxwell
of Terregles" (MacDowall); built 1843, together with
(demolished) school; 4 stages, pair tall round-arched panels
in 3rd stage. Shallow-pitched and slated pyramidal capping
suggests original intention to add spire.
South tower: by John H Bell (? of Dumfries), and built by
1858 when lucarned tall Gothic broach spire (135' high
excluding 12' cross finial) was added by Alexander Fraser
of Dumfries. Tower has 3 tall stages; modern sculpture of
St Andrew on E face.
Some fragments of church walling also survive.
No longer in ecclesiastical use. Original building 1811.
Transepts and domed aisle added 1871-2; interior decorated
with "arabesque designs", 1879. Marmaduke C Maxwell is not
otherwise known as a gentleman architect, and the N tower is
unlikely to be entirely his design.
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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