Description

1891. Small, single-storey, former Episcopal church converted into theatre in 1970s with distinctive rounded apse to S and steeply pitched roof, situated on sloping gushet site. Coursed, hammer-dressed red sandstone with smooth margins. Eaves cornice. Round-arched window openings; pair of round-arched door openings. Lower entrance wing to NE.

Predominantly plate-glass timber fixed windows, some rectangular. Graded grey slates. Decorative ridge tiles. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Raised skews and skewputts to entrance wing.

INTERIOR: (seen 2009). Converted to theatre. Fine, open, timber roof springing from timber corbels. Simple raised stage. Dado height timber boarding.

Statement of Interest

This distinctive former Episcopal church is notable for its rounded apse and steeply pitched roof and it has been carefully conceived to make the most of its unusual gushet site setting. Converted into a theatre in the 1970s, the interior retains a fine, open timber roof. The building is an important part of the streetscape in this area of Dumfries.

The church was built in 1891 as a mission church by the Rev John Denholm, who the the priest at St John's Episcopal Church in Dumfries. It was common practice at the time for churches to rent seats to its worshippers, which made it difficult for the poor to be able to attend. Rev Denholm wanted to set up a system of free seats, to allow everyone access to the church, but he met with some resistance. In the end he built this church, St Ninian's, with his own money and in which all the seats were free. De-consecrated in the 1960s, it then became a joiner's workshop and in 1971/2 was purchased by the Dumfries Musical and Operatic Society, who converted the building into a small, 91 seat theatre.

Listed as part of the Theatres Thematic Study 2008-9.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77781554

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)