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 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).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17828204

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)