Architecture

John Rutherford (1842–1925) was a local photographic pioneer and well worthy of study. Three published papers will result in a fairly comprehensive review of his recording of scenes of South-West Scotland at the end of the Victorian period. The current paper, which is the third and final one, features his photographs of Dumfries. The first paper in the series presented biographical information and a study of the excavations at Birrens in the 1890s, both aspects of Annandale. The second paper dealt with his photographs of Nithsdale from north to south. Each paper has quotations from writings largely contemporaneous with Rutherford’s photographic work.

John Rutherford (1842–1925) was a photographic pioneer and well worthy of study: so much so that three papers, in all, over three years will gradually build up a picture of his activities, achievements and, especially, his recording of scenes in South-West Scotland at the end of the Victorian period. The current paper features his photographs of Nithsdale. The first paper in the series presented biographical information and a study of the excavations at Birrens in the 1890s, both being aspects of Annandale.2 The third and final paper will concentrate on his scenes of Dumfries itself .

In 1887–92 The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland was published in five volumes. This was the magnum opus of two Edinburgh architects, David MacGibbon and Thomas Ross, a monumental work of reference describing and illustrating 769 Scottish castles and lamenting their neglect. In the three counties of Dumfries and Galloway — Dumfriesshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Wigtownshire — MacGibbon and Ross described fifty-eight castles, out of a total of around 100 (see Appendix 1 for the list). This paper compares the condition and future outlook of those fifty-nine castles in 1892 and 2014. It was concluded that, with a few notable exceptions, the current situation and outlook for the castles of Dumfries and Galloway which were described by MacGibbon and Ross has improved overall. However, there is no room for complacency, with two of these castles on the Buildings at Risk register and several others which are cause for serious concern. Overall, more than a quarter of the castles surveyed by MacGibbon and Ross have deteriorated — although, happily, nearly half are in a significantly better condition than in 1892. Those castles of Dumfries and Galloway which were missed by MacGibbon and Ross show a similar pattern of improvement since the late nineteenth century, but several important buildings are also still at risk of further decay.

The pediment over the centre of Moffat Town Hall has a date of 1827, presumably when it was built, but without indication of a builder or architect. In 1996 the Transactions marked the centenary of Birrens excavations by James Barbour, architect, civil engineer and archaeologist in Dumfries. His architectural works include Moffat Baths, which, according to his plans, he altered in 1881 by adding a new entrance hall at the north side, a stage to the south and a Billiard Room at the rear. The bathrooms were also changed and an attendant’s flat included. There are two drawings by Barbour: one showing the proposed new Entrance Hall with a new passage to the Billiard Room at the northeast corner (RCAHMS – 072333). The second drawing omits the passage and shows a new entrance Lobby and W.C. to a larger Billiard Room. This drawing is more detailed and with the signatures of John Henry, P.Drummond & Son, J. Johnstone and Robert Proudfoot, apparently was executed after 1881 (RCAHMS -D7235-Moffat Baths No. 1). The Barbour drawings differentiate alterations and additions in a darker shade but it is not easy to be certain of the full extent of works and to deduce the shape of the Baths originally built (RCAHMS-D7234-Moffat Baths No 3).

Recent perusal of the Kirk Session Minutes of the Parish of Lochrutton has revealed an interesting record of one of the more unusual functions of that body – the building of a bridge across the Lochfoot Burn in 1740-41. This venture has been compared with a contemporaneous bridgebuilding exercise by the Kirk Session of Tynholm .

This article illuminates the history of a rare survival of a 17th century farmstead, variously known as ‘Glenstocken’, ‘Glenstocking’, and ‘Nether town of Glenstocking’, on the coast near Colvend and describes a project to consolidate the structure. The scheme was implemented by the National Scenic Area (NSA) project on behalf of the partners (Scottish Natural Heritage, Dumfries and Galloway Council and the East Stewartry Coast NSA Advisory Group). 

The old ruined church and graveyard at Kirkconnel Lea on the Springkell Estate near Eaglesfield (NGR: NY 250753) is best known for its association with ‘Fair Helen’ Irving or Bell and her betrothed Adam Fleming de Kirkpatrick. This connection dominates th

Undeniably, old (parish and other) churches of any given area, particularly a rural region like Galloway, figure prominently in the historic and aesthetic landscape. Yet as ‘active’ components in their communities, for decades they have been facing an ong

Summary of a lecture delivered to the Society on Members' Night, 5th March 2004, by Michael Taylor. Postcards soon acquire historical value and this was well exemplified by the range of old and modern postcards used to illustrate this point - many were of

A programme of building recording survey was undertaken in connection with alterations to 53 George Street, Whithorn, a Listed Building. The building lies at the junction of Bruce Street and George Street and forms the north side of the pend that leads up

Birrens is the richest site in Scotland for Roman sculpture and inscriptions. The sculpture has been well published but much of it is fragmentary, making interpretation difficult. In displaying the displays for the new Museum of Scotland it was necessary

The remains of the south-west corner of the 12th-century Cistercian abbey cloister at Dundrennan (NX74924750) were cleared of rubble and 19th-century landscaping infill over four seasons of fieldwork. Elements of the Warming House, Novice's Day Room, Grea