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Site Management

Date 14 November 2014

Event ID 994789

Category Management

Type Site Management

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/994789

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.

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. (Historic Scotland)

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