Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

NEWBATTLE, NEWBATTLE ROAD, NEWBATTLE PARISH CHURCH (CHURCH OF SCOTLAND)LB14558

Status: Designated

Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Category
B
Date Added
22/01/1971
Local Authority
Midlothian
Planning Authority
Midlothian
Parish
Newbattle
NGR
NT 33116 66069
Coordinates
333116, 666069

Description

Alexander McGill, 1727; later alterations. 6-bay, T-plan church with 3-stage bell tower to E and 2-storey aisle to W. Sandstone rubble; raised droved, stugged and chamfered ashlar dressings; raised droved and stugged quoins, and raised ashlar base and eaves courses; slaister pointing in places.

E (FRONT) ELEVATION: symmetrical 5-bay elevation (apart from extra bay to extended N aisle set back with geometric arched window) with advanced central tower. Round-arched windows with timber tracery to outer bays; blocked doorway below windows. Stained glass lancet windows to inner bays flanking tower. Central studded timber 2-leaf door at 1st stage of tower; stained glass oculus above with dated keystone; '1727'. Trefoil oculus above cornice at 2nd stage. Voussoired and louvred arched opening in each elevation of 3rd stage bell tower. Roll moulded stage course above 1st and 2nd stages; moulded stone eaves to each stage elevation.

N ELEVATION: 2 arched windows with timber tracery; central multifoil oculus above; trefoil window in apex.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: 2 outshot additions partly cover blocked oculi to left and right. Left outshot houses stone steps to galleries; door in left return. Brick structure with arch bridges steps to W gallery; door to church below bridge. Advanced 2-bay wing; modern door to left; blocked window to right; 1st floor window centred above door; blocked window to right. 3 ground floor windows (2 stained glass) to left and right returns; 3 1st floor windows (1 blocked) to right return; 2 1st floor windows (1 blocked) to left return. Outshot to far right houses organ; blocked opening; door in right return.

S ELEVATION: blocked door between 2 arched windows with timber tracery (stairs have been removed); eaves course; central multifoil stained glass oculus breaking eaves course; blocked trefoil window in apex.

18-pane timber sash and case windows at 1st floor of W aisle; original 12-pane sash and case windows at ground floor. Pitched slate roof; lead ridge; coping to gables and moulded stone eaves. Splay-footed roof with weathervane to bell tower. Slate catslide to W elevation porches. Gable apex stack to W gable; wallhead chimney to right return. Timber doors with side panel to outshots and stone steps.

INTERIOR: entrance in tower (previously the vestry); stone flag floor; bench to walls; red baize door to left leads into church. Inside; black marble door surround to baize door; pulpit centred in front of tower; timber staircase to left leads to elevated pulpit (except for bottom tread of Iona stone). Timber pulpit, 17th century upper half; arcaded, fluted pilasters and Corinthian capitals. Low arcaded timber screen with door behind pulpit opens into the Ancrum Aisle at 2nd stage of tower. Constructed 1895 in memory of the Earl of Ancrum; 2 marble wall memorials carved with Lothian coat of arms dedicated to Earl of Ancrum and his father, 9th Earl of Lothian. Stone font bowl on later plinth stands to right of pulpit. Tiered timber pews to right of pulpit; organ in SW wall; timber pews to left of and opposite pulpit, all with central aisle of stone flags and timber floor boards between pews. Gallery to left of pulpit supported on columns; timber panelling to front pew. N aisle cornice abruptly stops with scrolled brackets indicating former gable end of church. Some pews opposite pulpit have moveable backs which fold to create pew communion tables. Timber framed opening to Laird's Loft above; tiered pews. Vestibule below Laird's Loft to rear of pews in W aisle. Green marble interior; various brass wall plaques and stone memorials including marble wall monument with Corinthian columns to J C Carrick in N aisle. Numerous stained glass windows including rose window in S aisle dedicated to Catherine Hamilton, mother of J Arnott Hamilton minister of Newbattle 1922-1952 flanked by 2 windows honouring Royal Army Medical Corps stationed at Newbattle during World War II and all who fought in the war. Two windows flanking Ancrum Aisle dedicated to Margaret Craig of Craigesk House depict the care of the elderly and religious instruction of the young; 4 fine windows representing the Gospel writers in W aisle by John Duncan, RSA, 1934-1935.

Statement of Special Interest

An earlier church was situated across the road, where the Lothian Burial Ground now stands. It was too small and had fallen into disrepair and was resited to the present location, supposedly reusing the stones which once came from Newbattle Abbey; there is said to be carving in the tower which came from the Abbey. Items which have also originated from the earlier church include the studded entrance doors, pulpit, funeral bell with a bone-shaped iron handle, initialled and dated 1616 M IA (John Aird, the minister at the time), font bowl and communion token. 3 communion tokens are displayed to right of pulpit, 1 inscribed NBK 1714 (Newbattle Kirk), the other 2 dated 1841. Other items which are not fixed but are of note are the table to the front of pulpit, with carved angel heads and brass crosses to the sides and carved legs and 2 long handled timber collecting boxes which hang on Ancrum Aisle wall. The church was much altered in the 19th century to accommodate the growing congregation; in 1851 galleries in the N and S aisles were added, in 1859 the Heritors Room opposite the pulpit was opened up and altered into a gallery (known as the Laird's or Lothian Loft) with retiring room and in 1875 the N aisle and gallery were extended to hold the miners from Newtongrange. The N aisle was panelled in green marble in 1927, the rest in 1938. Former late 19th century stables to rear, harled with slate piended roof and central breaking eaves gantry door (now used as garage by Newbattle House and Sunday School hall) are not part of the Statutory List. The parish graveyard is situated further north along Newbattle Road (see separate list description).

References

Bibliography

J Laurie, A Plan of the County of Mid-Lothian, 1763; THE STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND, 1794, Vol 10, pp215, 217; THE NEW STATISTICAL ACCOUNT OF SCOTLAND, 1839, Vol 1, pp69, 73; 1st Edition OS Map, 1854; Groome, ORDNANCE GAZETTEER OF SCOTLAND, 1884; J C Carrick, THE ABBEY OF S. MARY NEWBOTTLE, 1907, p195; J Arnott Hamilton, NEWBATTLE PARISH CHURCH 1727-1927, 1928; J Arnott Hamilton, THE STORY OF NEWBATTLE CHURCH AND ABBEY, 1945; G Hay, THE ARCHITECTURE OF POST REFORMATION CHURCHES, 1957; J Thomas, MIDLOTHIAN, 1995, p79; NEWBATTLE PARISH CHURCH A SHORT HISTORY AND GUIDE.

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.

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Printed: 28/03/2024 16:58