St Abbs Church, St Abbs

Opened 1892; renovated 1947. 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.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 3-stage tower projecting at centre with deep-set, 2-leaf, boarded timber door at ground; decorative iron hinges; roll-moulded surround; surmounting hoodmould with block label stops; small oculus aligned above; 2 louvred belfry windows at upper floor with clock face centred beneath parapet. Single windows in single storey, lean-to additions flanking tower; taller nave set behind.

N (SIDE) ELEVATION: regularly fenestrated nave. Tower recessed to outer left with single window in lean-to projection at ground to front; 2 louvred belfry windows centred at upper floor. Single window in gabled vestry recessed to outer right.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: single window in gabled vestry projecting at ground. Rose window centred in nave behind.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: regularly fenestrated nave. Tower recessed to right with single window in lean-to projection at ground to front; basement opening off-set to left below; 2 louvred belfry windows centred at upper floor. Gabled vestry recessed to outer left with boarded timber door in bay to right; letterbox fanlight; single window to left.

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.

INTERIOR: plain. Vestibule with segmental-arched, timber panelled doors to N and S accessing nave. Designed to seat 390. Pitched pine woodwork. Open timber hammerbeam roof (sandstone springers); boarded timber floor; boarded timber dado; timber pews. Panelled pulpit centred in W wall with flanking stairs. Timber communion table, chairs and font. Various wall memorials. Pair of decorative brass oil lamp holders at rear.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: coped rubble walls partially enclosing site; plain iron railings enclosing remainder. Later quadrant walls flanking entrance; pyramidal-capped, square-plan gatepiers; gates missing.