St Abbs, St Abbs Church

Symmetrical plain Norman church comprising 3- by 6-bay, rectangular-plan nave with 3-stage, square-plan tower centred at front; lean-to projections flanking at ground; gabled, single storey vestry adjoined at rear. Coursed, lightly bull-faced red sandstone (Swinton quarry); sandstone ashlar dressings. Stepped base course; moulded eaves course; corbelled parapet to tower. Ashlar quoins; long and short surrounds to chamfered, round-arched openings; chamfered cills. Predominantly border-glazed, diagonally-leaded windows; some decorative stained glass; small rooflights. Red tile roofs with decorative ridging; shallow pyramidal cap to tower with surmounting wind vane. Stone-coped skews; gabletted skewputts with moulded brackets. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Ecclesiastical building in use as such. Originally St Abbs Free Church. A prominently sited church, funded and built on land gifted by Andrew Usher of the nearby Northfield House (see separate list entry, 'St Abbs, Northfield House'). The bell in the tower is inscribed 'Erected along with the church of St Abbs by Andrew Usher of Northfield A.D. 1891. John Wilson & Co, Founders, Glasgow.' The clock was installed in 1956. (Historic Scotland)