Longformacus Parish Church

Longformacus Parish Church

Longformacus Church is a rectangular-plan, plain gothic church rebuilt in 1730 on the foundations of an earlier building. It was repaired around 1830, then substantially renovated by the Duns architect George Fortune in 1892-93, with a west aisle added in 1894. The church remains in active use as an ecclesiastical building.

The structure is built of harl-pointed rubble sandstone with cream sandstone ashlar dressings (droved in places) and some rendered pointing. Its principal features include a bellcote to the west and a bowed apse to the east. A projecting gabled aisle is centred in the north elevation, with a lean-to vestry in the re-entrant angle to the left and a lean-to porch in the re-entrant angle to the right. A slightly lower projecting gabled aisle is centred in the west elevation. Openings are predominantly pointed-arched and chamfered, with long and short surrounds; those to the apse are round-arched. Cills are chamfered throughout.

The west (entrance) elevation has two bays. Steps lead to a pointed-arched, boarded timber door in the outer left bay. The buttressed aisle projects to the outer right with a Y-traceried window at its centre and a vesica-shaped opening above, surmounted by a cruciform finial. An ogee-roofed sandstone birdcage bellcote surmounts the nave gable; the bell, which remains in place, is inscribed with what appears to be "JB 1892" and the maker's name J Barwell, Birmingham.

The north elevation features a gabled bay at centre with a Y-traceried window beneath its apex. To the left, the vestry has two bays: the right bay contains a bipartite window with a columnar mullion and stylised capital; the left bay has a single window; a pointed-arched boarded timber door opens in the return to the left. A round-arched window lights the bowed apse recessed to the outer left. The porch, offset to the right of centre, has three bays. Its gable above the pointed-arched, boarded timber door is finialled and dated 189(2?). The left bay contains a single window; the right bay has a bipartite window with a columnar mullion and stylised capital. A Y-traceried window in the west aisle is recessed to the outer right.

The south elevation comprises a four-bay nave. The outer right bay has a plain pointed-arched window; the remaining bays to the left have Y-traceried windows. An engaged sundial is aligned beneath the skewputt to the outer left with metal gnomons in place; iron jougs are positioned below. A Y-traceried window in the west aisle is slightly recessed to the outer left. A round-arched window lights the bowed apse recessed to the outer right.

The east (rear) elevation displays regularly spaced windows in the bowed apse centred within an east gable, surmounted by a cross finial.

Glazing is predominantly plain leaded with coloured margins. Some decorative stained glass is present in the nave and west aisle, including a Landale memorial window depicting Poverty, Chastity and Obedience, dated post-1943. Small rooflights are fitted. Roofs are covered in graded grey slate with stepped stone skews and gabletted skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods are throughout.

Interior

The interior is long and narrow. Finishes are probably of dark stained Siberian deal throughout, possibly with dark stained oak in places, similar to that seen at the nearby Cranshaws Church. The vestibule floor is tiled; stained and boarded timber dado panelling and a boarded timber ceiling are present.

The nave has a tiled floor with timber boards beneath the pews. Boarded timber dado panelling runs around the walls, which are whitewashed. The roof is an open timber keel-shape with hammerbeam construction, featuring carved foliate springers and figurative heads (in the west aisle). Timber pews fill the nave. Engaged columns frame openings, their shafts painted with plain sandstone capitals.

The raised west aisle contains timber pews, boarded timber dado panelling, and a foliate iron screen to its front. Decorative stained glass is featured here.

The north aisle has a blind arcaded timber screen to its front and a single chair centred beneath the window; a boarded timber door to the left provides access.

The east end contains a carved timber pulpit and a carved timber font. A stone set on the south wall bears a Sinclair family coat-of-arms with what appears to be "IS" engraved above (possibly John or James Sinclair). A boarded timber door accesses the vestry to the north. A large pointed arch frames a raised apse to the east, featuring blind arcading to timber choir stalls, a timber communion table, a boarded timber ceiling, and a stained glass window at centre. Various engraved tablets are distributed throughout the interior, along with decorative light fittings.

A single iron lampstand stands near the west door; the oil lamp is missing.

Graveyard and Burial Ground

A near square-plan graveyard to the south contains gravestones arranged in irregular rows, representing a variety of types from the 18th and 19th centuries, some with figurative panels. Various table-top monuments are also present.

A near square-plan enclosed burial ground dedicated to the Brown family is set in the southeast corner. It features a stepped wall to the west with round-arched, columnar-framed tablets set in its east face, decorated with nailhead and zig-zag mouldings. Blind, intersecting arcading above engaged columns with cushion capitals runs across the west face. Regularly spaced cruciform stones are arranged within. Barley twist iron railings mounted on a low sandstone wall enclose the site, topped with fleur-de-lys finials. Regularly spaced panelled, square-plan piers with engaged angle columns (cushion capitals) and shallow pyramidal caps (missing in part) mark the boundary. A pedestrian entry gate is missing.

Rubble-coped rubble walls enclosing the entire site are topped with timber gates.

Historical Development

The church was rebuilt on the foundations of a previous church; it is thought that this 18th-century structure may incorporate parts of the earlier edifice. Prior to its improvement, the church was a simple structure modelled after the plain fashion, with a galleried interior that, combined with its low flat ceiling, imparted a depressing and dingy appearance.

In 1892, Andrew Smith of Whitchester commissioned George Fortune, the Duns architect, to carry out extensive renovations. These included the creation of both the west and north aisles and the addition of a bowed apse. Fortune removed the galleries, opened the roof, and re-seated the whole area to face the new apse to the east; the pulpit, originally centred in the south wall, was relocated accordingly. Every effort was made to preserve the historical features of the older building during its renovation. With the majority of 18th and 19th century detailing intact, Longformacus Church is considered one of the most significant buildings in the parish. Following its completion, it was described as a model of what a small country parish church should be.