(no subject)

[endlessrarities]

I'm currently enjoying a never-ending stream of daffodils available for display in the vase on the mantelpiece.  This sounds like a marvellous state of affairs, but...  I'd much rather the daffies were standing proudly in the garden, waving in the breeze, than a) sitting mouldering in a vase, or b) lying flat on the lawn getting turned into floral doilies by the predations of many happy slugs and snails.  Yes, March came in like a sabre-toothed tiger, and went out like a lion, and April's not looking much better right now.  As I speak, my garden is carpeted with a thick layer of horizontal daffodils.  Ah, well.

To Douglas Church now, and a rather lovely church building which is hidden away in the depths of rural South Lanarkshire.  I may have briefly featured it before, but I thought I'd devote a bit more time to it.

The church is dedicated to St Bride, and is first mentioned in the 12th century.  The exisiting building is, however, somewhat later:-

 

It looks like a late medieval construction, and once again I'm sure it's been heavily restored in fairly recent times...  Of particular interest is its clocktower, which may date back to the 16th century, which makes it unusually early round these parts:-
 

 

Douglas Church is associated with those bad boys of the Scottish medieval period, the Douglas family (Red and Black).  And I shall post more about them over the coming days, because they're well worth it!!  With names like James the Gross and Archibald 'Bell The Cat', they're certainly deserving of attention...

My apologies for the dark, gloomy photos.  It's a West of Scotland thing, I'm afraid.
 

 

Comments

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

I'm more familiar with Stirlingshire being married to a Scot from they parts, and also with the Northern Isles where we spend a deal of time (makes one aware that the truly international ecclesiastical architectural style is the Romanesque, not the Gothic) but that is a fascinating looking church.

What's the interior like?

The one very much on my 'to visit' list at present though is Burntisland.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

It's got some lovely sculpture.

I haven't visited Burntisland as yet. If you're touring Fife, Leuchars is a wonderful church, but when I visited we couldn't get access to the interior, unfortunately.

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

Hubby knows Fife pretty well- he was an undergrad at St Andrews.

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

One of my current colleagues is a member of the St Andrews alumni. She was a contemporary of a rather more celebrated pair who will be getting married soon...

[cmcmck.livejournal.com]

This was rather further back in the seventies. He went on to do his doctorate in Edinburgh and Paris. My MA's from UKC although I'm also an alumna of Dundee.

[clairehawthorn.livejournal.com]

Fascinating church. From the gate it looked almost nondescript then I saw that very unusual tower and the beautiful ruined walls - I'm looking forward to reading more about it.
Did you get into the chancel? Is it still used for services?

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

We actually got stuck there - briefly!

We got into the church, and closed the door behind us, only to find that... THERE WAS NO HANDLE INSIDE THE CHURCH!! Now, the thought of being stuck overnight in an ancient church filled with carved sarcophogi and dead bodies held no fear for me. The horror of having to phone Historic Scotland for help... That was terrifying. Could you imagine the headline in the local papers? Archaeologist got more than she bargained for when trapped for hours in South Lanarkshire church...

Luckily, my husband managed to footer around with the door mechanism and get us out... But it was, um, interesting...

[clairehawthorn.livejournal.com]

OMG!
Makes panicky mental note to always check for internal door handles and to prop doors open during any future church explorations of my own.
I'd have footered hysterically to no avail.....you were very lucky.

God help anyone who wants to sneak out before the sermon is over on a Sunday morning........

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

And if we hadn't been carrying a mobile phone, and my husband wasn't adept at outwitting door mechanisms (he was an officer of the law once, not a burglar, in case you're wondering...) we might be there still. It's not exactly very busy. Two little dessicated cadavers propped up alongside the tomb of James the Gross. Ulp...

Come to think of, the mobile coverage is pretty patchy there...

[heleninwales.livejournal.com]

The horror of having to phone Historic Scotland for help... That was terrifying.

That would be a truly terrifying thought! I can imagine the cold sweat of panic as you stood there watching your husband trying to work out the door mechanism.

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Read this after reading your comment over at my journal--had to laugh at "daffodil doilies" because the image is so vivid, but I do feel for you, and I agree!

It was a wonder to me to see wild daffodils, like in the Wordsworth poem--lots and lots of little tiny golden things in the woods. Wow!

This church clock tower is magnificent--it looks like it should have a prisoner up top, in need of rescue. (And from what you've told me of the Douglases, it seems quite possible it once did.)

[endlessrarities.livejournal.com]

St Brides Church, Douglas (better give it its right name!) is one of those sadly underrated little beauties that lurk in the Scottish countryside.

We get big towers attached to some Perthshire and Angus churches that date to Viking times - they're similar to the Irish ones, and were used by the monks to stash themselves and the plate/precious things at times of attack.

This tower is a very different beast - purely ostentatious, and rather lovely. I'm amazed it's still standing...

[red-trillium.livejournal.com]

Looks old and impressive!