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Summary

Description

Barr Parish Church is a rectangular-plan church is in the Early English Gothic style and was designed and built by Allan Stevenson, 1877-8. The bellcote to the southeast buttress is by William Tennent in 1898. The building was restored by Anthony Richardson and Partners in 1978 adding a vestibule below the gallery, itself of 1888 by Stevenson. Located in Barr, the church is located at the western end of the village in a prominent position at a road and river junction.

The church is constructed partly in squared whinstone with other sections of random rubble. There are freestone dressings, simple lancets (pointed arches), hoodmoulds and skewed buttresses. There is a bellcote to the southeast angle and corner buttresses. There is buttressed gabled porch to the southeast with arched doorway, small flanking lancet windows, and stone cross to the apex. There is gabled vestry to the north gabled elevation.

The interior has a simple timber boarded dado and a timber boarded gallery (to south gable). There is a raised timber pulpit (in gothic style) to the centre of the north wall flanked by doors leading the vestry. There is an open arch-braced roof (tie rods dating to 1891).

A rubble-built boundary wall with rubble copes encloses the site. The main entrance to the churchyard has a pair of slender iron gatepiers with an iron gateway and flanking iron railings.

Historical background

Barr Parish Church, built 1877-8, replaced the earlier church of 1653. The Ordnance Survey Name Book of 1855-7 describes the earlier church as a simple construction and the First Edition Ordnance Survey (surveyed 1856, published 1858) map locates that church to the east of the present church. It is possible that some of the stone from the old church was used in the construction of the present building (Buildings of Scotland).

The Ordnance Survey maps of 1856, 1894 and 1930-57 show that the footprint and layout of the churchyard, boundary wall have not significantly changed.

The Dictionary of Scottish Architects (or) The Buildings of Scotland records that the bellcote was replaced in 1891 and the church was restored in 1978 by Patrick James Lorimer, job architect (for Anthony Richardson & Partners).

Statement of Special Interest

The parish church in Barr meets the criteria for listing for the following reasons:

• The late 19^th century design of church, which includes some near contemporary alterations, is of good quality and is largely retained.
• The church retains its historic setting with the listed Gregg Bridge and retains a relationship with the former earlier manse 'Barskaig' (undesignated) nearby.

Architectural interest

Design

Barr Parish Church and Churchyard is a good example of a plain, Gothic-style church. It includes typical architectural detailing, such as pointed hoodmouldings, angled buttresses and a bellcote. The bellcote and stone porch add architectural interest to the otherwise simple elevations. Externally, the building has not been much altered since the late 19^th century.

Setting

The church and churchyard are in a prominent roadside position in between the Gregg Bridge and Stinchar Bridge at the western end of the village of Barr. The site retains its historic setting, including its intervisibility with the mid-19^th century Gregg Bridge (listed at category C, LB1030). The church is included in a conservation area, alongside much of the village, which appears to largely retain its traditional built character.

Historic interest

Age and rarity

Churches of this date are not rare. When considering such a prolific building type an early date, the fewer of its type that survive, and architectural design are important considerations when considering a building is of special interest. The church at Barr is a typical example of its building type. This building compares well to other small, listed village churches of the same date across Ayrshire and Scotland more widely.

Listed building record revised in 2025.

References

Bibliography

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