St Michael's Church (Dumfries)

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St Michael's Church

The St Michael's Church is a church building of the Presbyterian Church of Scotland in the Scottish town of Dumfries in the Council Area Dumfries and Galloway . In 1961, the building was included in the Scottish monument lists in the highest monument category A. It is also part of a category A monument ensemble. The associated cemetery is independently classified as a category A building. Likewise, Burns' Mausoleum in the cemetery is a Category A memorial.

history

The earliest mention of a church in Dumfries comes from the year 1179 when William I subordinated the local Michaelis Church to Jocelin of Glasgow , the bishop of the Diocese of Glasgow . The building had a cruciform floor plan, with the altar on the east side. After John Comyn's death at Greyfriars Church in the early 14th century, changes were made to St. Michael's Church . Another wing was added with the spread of the Christian Reformation in Scotland. In the early 18th century, only the nave and choir remained of the medieval church .

In 1744 the medieval church was demolished and today's church was built on the same site. The city council had previously invited the Scottish architect William Adam to Dumfries to create a design for the new building . For reasons of cost, however, it was decided to design a local architect. Construction was completed in 1746. The bell from 1451 was re-cast in 1818 and again in 1839. In addition to a comprehensive overhaul of the interior, a sacristy was added in 1869, which was expanded in 1881 as part of renovation measures.

description

The building is at the intersection of St Michaels Street and Brooms Road ( A756 ) south of the historic center of Dumfries. The masonry of the elongated church building consists of roughly hewn red sandstone with natural stone surrounds . The windows are partially designed with round arches . A cornice runs around below the slate-covered platform roof . The main portal is at the foot of the bell tower on the west side. The four-storey tower with simple corner pinnacles closes with an approximately twelve-meter-high stone helmet with dormer windows and a gold-plated weathercock.

graveyard

A quarry stone wall surrounds the irregularly shaped surrounding cemetery. The massive gate pillars on the northwest side accommodate a guard. The pillars decorated with pilasters are believed to date from the middle of the 18th century. They have wrought iron gates. Various monumental grave structures, mainly from the 18th and 19th centuries, can be found in the cemetery. The grave of John Sharp of Hoddoms, built around 1710, a martyr's cross and an obelisk from 1834 are to be emphasized. A cholera cemetery is demarcated.

Burns' mausoleum

Burns' mausoleum

Burns' Mausoleum is in the eastern section of the cemetery. It was built in 1815 to a design by the London architect Thomas Hunt . The octagonal temple with a final dome is the resting place of the poet Robert Burns , who died in Dumfries in 1796.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b c Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  2. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  3. ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
  4. ↑ Entry on St Michael's Church  in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)

Web links

Commons : Burns' Mausoleum  - Collection of Images, Videos and Audio Files

Coordinates: 55 ° 3 ′ 54.4 "  N , 3 ° 36 ′ 22.6"  W.