Ruthwell Church

Ruthwell Church is a building that underwent significant remodelling in 1803 by architect Sanderson of Dalkeith, incorporating earlier fabric, particularly in the Murray Aisle and at the west end of the south wall where there are blocked openings. The church has a T-plan layout, with an apse added centrally on the long north wall by Campbell Douglas and Sellars in 1887 to house the Ruthwell cross. It was further remodelled in 1906 by Barbour and Bowie of Dumfries, during which many door and window openings were altered, and the church was re-roofed with raised skews, skewputts, and finials. The exterior features whitewashed rubble with red ashlar dressings, round-headed openings that are mostly hoodmoulded, and north and south-facing windows with pointed lights. There is a door on the east and west gables below a quatrefoil light. The church has an urn-finialed birdcage belfry over the Murray aisle, with corresponding ball-finialed caps on the other gables, and two pilastered axial ventilators. The roofs are slate, curved with diamond roof lights over the apse.

Inside, the Ruthwell cross is located within the apse, enclosed by a simple iron balustrade, with the cross base situated below floor level. There is a 1687 armorial panel above an arched recess in the Murray aisle, some leaded glass windows, simple roof vaulting, and bronze plaques commemorating Henry Duncan, a former parish minister and founder of the Savings Bank.

The churchyard contains several fine monuments and is enclosed by high ashlar-coped rubble walls, which were extended to the north in the 20th century. The south entrance features ball-finialed square gatepiers and stone stile steps. Notable monuments in the churchyard include the elaborate Conder monument from 1709, the Duncan family mural monument from 1832, a tall Dickson monument from the early 19th century, as well as various table tombs and both upright and recumbent slabs.