Description
12th century in part; consecrated 1242; rebuilt 1572; repaired 1705; enlarged 1837; repaired and altered 1876; porch erected 1907; tower, belfry, church hall and vestry added and various alterations by Arthur George Sydney Mitchell & George Wilson, early 20th century. Irregular-plan church comprising originally rectangular-plan nave; engaged, near square-plan, 3-stage tower to W with taller belfry adjoining NE corner; N aisle, single storey church hall and vestry to N with various additions in re-entrant angle to E. Tooled and squared cream sandstone (part coursed, part squared and snecked); sandstone ashlar dressings. Moulded eaves courses; tower with architraved string course dividing floors, modillioned parapet. Tooled quoins; tooled long and short surrounds to openings. Round-arched nave openings with plain columnar reveals; square-headed and pointed-arched openings to later additions. Crowstepped gables in part.
S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: 3-stage tower to outer left with gabled porch off-set to right comprising round-arched openings with chevron mouldings, circular columns to front with stylised carving to bases and capitals; blind, round-arched niche centred in finialled gablehead; carved figures set in corners. Weathered, round-arched Norman doorway centred within comprising replacement boarded timber door, flanking inner and outer nook shafts with chamfered bases and cushion capitals (different heights), square-headed sandstone lintel, plain tympanum, chevron moulding to inner arch, bead-and-hollow moulding to outer arch. Square-plan sundial (dated 1816) set in SW corner with engaged, circular-plan base; ogee-arched niche. Pointed-arched bipartite window centred at 2nd stage with moulded stops to linked hoodmoulds. Surmounting crowstepped cap-house with small window centred in finialled gablehead. Nave adjoined to right with gabletted buttress breaking eaves off-set to right of centre; 2 pairs of round-arched windows to left; single windows at ground in remaining 2 bays to right; gabled, bipartite window breaking eaves above with small oculus centred in gablehead.
E (SIDE) ELEVATION: gabled nave projecting to left with round-arched, boarded timber door centred at ground, flanking nook shafts with scalloped capitals, architraved banding to surmounting arch; oculus centred in finialled gablehead. N wing recessed to right with round-arched window at ground off-set to right; gabled window breaking eaves to left; various lean-to and flat-roofed additions in re-entrant angle to outer left. Lower wing to outer right with exterior stair accessing 2-leaf boarded timber door breaking eaves to left; single window in surmounting crowstepped gable; gabled window breaking eaves at ground in bay to outer right.
N (REAR) ELEVATION: projecting crowstepped wing to left with deep-set, 2-leaf boarded timber door in basket-arched surround to right of centre; naturalistic carving in flush, stylised pediment above. Church hall adjoined to right with regularly disposed, 3-light, square-headed glazing rows in all 3 bays.
W (SIDE) ELEVATION: 3-stage tower to right with 4 regularly disposed, square-headed windows centred beneath string course; pointed-arched bipartite window above with moulded stops to linked hoodmoulds; crowstepped cap-house behind projecting parapet. Gabled porch recessed to outer right. Taller, square-plan tower recessed to left with round-arched, boarded timber door in lean-to porch adjoined to front (flanking nook-shafts and architraved arch); arrowslit openings in all 3 floors recessed above; part-louvred, pointed-arched opening centred at upper floor; decorative frieze mouldings beneath cornice; crocketted corner finials; squat polygonal sandstone spire with St Michael's weather vane above. 2-bay wing recessed to left with round-arched windows in both bays at ground; gabled windows breaking eaves above; commemorative plaque and armorial panels at centre; enclosed burial area to front with sandstone font within. Crowstepped hall projecting to outer left with large, round-arched, traceried window centred in finialled gablehead.
Predominantly small-pane, plain leaded glazing. Grey slate roofs; sandstone ridging; stone-coped and crowstepped skews. Coped apex stack to N; single circular can.
INTERIOR: T-plan nave with boarded timber floor (stone slabbed in part to N); timber pews (some box pews with panelled doors and private communion tables); boarded timber dado panelling; open timber roof; timber panelled doors. Balustraded platform centred in S wall with tall, octagonal pulpit, columnar communion table, sandstone font. Timber panelled fronts to galleries to E (Ninewells), W (Whitehall) and N (square-plan columns below); tiered timber pews. Stone inscribed 'HELPE THE PVR 1573 VE' in S wall, off-set to left of centre. Organ set in E gallery. Various wall tablets including marble bass relief of 2nd Lady Tweedmouth in angle between N and E wings. Vestry with glazed tile fireplace, decorative timber surround. Church hall with full-width entrance screen comprising small-pane leaded glazing in timber panelled, folding doors.
GRAVEYARD AND MORT-HOUSE: surrounding graveyard with various gravestones including table top monuments, carved stones with memento mori, gravestones with classical detailing and obelisks. Curved sandstone seat with coped, squared and snecked, lightly bull-faced back. MORT-HOUSE: single storey, rectangular-plan red rubble structure. S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: modern timber door and side light to left; blocked arrowslit opening to right. Mono-pitched roof. INTERIOR: not seen 1998.
WAR MEMORIAL: tall, rubble-faced cross on tiered, square-plan base. Inscribed 'In Memory of those from this Parish who fell in the Great War 1914-1919.'
BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, QUADRANT WALLS, MEMORIAL GATEWAY AND GATES: arched coping to rubble walls enclosing site; square-plan gatepiers with finialled and tiered, pyramidal caps to E. Squared and snecked, lightly bull-faced quadrant walls flanking entrance to W with tiered, chamfered coping; gabletted, square-plan piers and gatepiers. Buttressed gateway recessed at centre with large Tudor-arched opening, decorative 2-leaf iron gates, inscribed plaque above with carved motif; crenellated parapet.