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Summary

Description

After 1612. Post Reformation church on long, narrow plan with W tower, S (Archerfield) aisle added 1656-674; W tower raised later (1825) to 4 stages. N vestry added. Sandstone rubble, formerly harled with freestone ashlar dressings and large ashlar masonry to aisle. Slated roof; overlapping slabs to aisle. Plain raised skews.

S ELEVATION: originally long low elevation with former entrance (now window) at left and round arched windows. Archerfield aisle projecting off centre to right in solid Scottish Renaissance style. Casped Gothic tripartite, loop traceried, round arched window to S set in moulded panel. Rusticated corner piers. Raised cill and base courses. Dentil corbels to shallow pediment above and to cill course. Cartouche panel with James Maxwell's arms in pediment. Doorway to E. Double doors in architrave with keystone linked to pediment bearing Maxwell shield. Corbelled memorial panel to right.

N ELEVATION: with later 19th century gabled vestry projecting at centre. Flanking bays gabled with round arched windows breaking eaves. Former N door to right blocked now window.

TOWER: 4-stage, set flush into W gable. Modern doorway at base. Small 1st stable light. Pointed arched, louvred 2nd stage opening with triple arched louvred lights above. Corbelled parapet with gabletted angle pinnacles and raised over incised cross to each face. Stair turret to N; conical roof at lower belfry level. Upper 2 stages of S and E sides as for W.

E ELEVATION: former doorway at centre, blocked 1930, Y-traceried round arched window inserted with interesting tracery. Wall monument 1728 left of window. Doric aedicule with swan neck pediment and cartouche. Flanking strapwork carving with symbols of mortality.

INTERIOR: plain in arrangement and decoration. Reorganised in 1930s when gallery was removed and chancel added. Open tie beam timber roof and stone barrel vault to aisle. Stained glass in 3-lights of aisle, St Francis and the Animals by Margaret Chilton 1935, executed by Marjorie Kemp under FC Mears. Oak pulpit and lectern. Organ by Ingram and Co 1900. Tower vaulted at ground stage with stair turret to bell-chamber above.

GRAVEYARD: contains good 18th century monuments including: SW of church, squat elaborate Baroque adstone to George Seton. Set into W wall, stone with unusual mask and artisan details.

GATEWAY AND BOUNDARY WALLS: coped squared rubble wall with polygonal, stugged ashlar gatepiers with pyramidal caps. Decorative iron gates and overthrow. Pedestrian entrance to W. Coped rubble boundary wall to N and W.

Statement of Special Interest

CHURCH: Ecclesiastical building in use as such. Parish transferred from Gullane in 1612. Arguably Direlton is the 1st post reformation church in Scotland, before Greyfriars, Edinburgh. Archerfield Aisle begun by Elisabeth Debousy at cost of £45, allegedly to cover the grave of James Maxwell. The 3-light window may have come from the earlier collegiate church at Dirleton. Before being raised, the tower contained a lectern dovecot above the priest's room. The former parapet marked by waterspouts. "WR" initials by top storey, explain date 1825 for raised height.

SESSION HOUSE AND HALL: gablet skews, with vaulted skewputts to both are part of Lady Elgin's "Tidying" of the village, recurring elsewhere. The Hall may incorporate earlier school.

References

Bibliography

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