Stow Kirk, Galashiels Road, Stow

Wardrop and Reid, 1873-6. Near T-plan, First Pointed Gothic church with tall 3-stage spire tower to N, polygonal apse and single transept-aisle to W occupying elevated terraced location above Galawater. Coursed, bull-face red sandstone with pale sandstone ashlar dressings. Plinth; moulded cill courses; eaves course. Diagonal offset buttresses to angles; pointed-arched openings; chamfered cills; decorative sandstone cinquefoil-headed tracery; architraved hoodmoulds with moulded stops; red sandstone voussoirs.

TOWER: 3-stage, square-plan with 2-leaf, boarded timber door to ground, N elevation and single storey conical-capped stair tower to W elevation; clockfaces to N and W elevations; louvred openings to belfry with stone gargoyles to angles; quatrefoil mouldings to parapet above; pinnacled angle turrets; broached, octagonal spire with gabletted lucarnes; weathervane finial.

W (ROAD) ELEVATION: large traceried 3-light window to central gabled bay (W aisle); single-storey gabled porch with pointed-arched and trefoil-headed surround to doorway to left; canted porch at apse and W aisle re-entrant angle. E ELEVATION: large rose window to E central gable; porch following pattern of W elevation to E side of apse. All doors, boarded timber with decorative iron hinges.

INTERIOR: painted walls; cream sandstone ashlar dressings. Boarded timber dado panelling; panelled timber doors. Fine open timberwork ceiling with massive arched timber braces resting on carved sandstone corbels. Pair of moulded arches to W nave aisle (now blocked) with cylindrical pier and decorative capitals. Timber gallery to N. Octagonal timber pulpit with linenfold panels; large timber framed pipe organ above. Decorative timber communion table. Rich variety of 19th and 20th century stained glass throughout (see The Buildings of Scotland: Borders for details).

Stained glass windows (some by James Ballantine and Son - see Notes). Plain and coloured glass leaded glazing elsewhere. Grey slate. Sawtooth stone skews; gabletted skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods with hoppers and decorative brackets.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATES AND GATEPIERS: coped sandstone ashlar walls. Pierced timber gates at main and pedestrian entrances.