Mouswald Church
Mouswald Church has become redundant and recently sold by the Church of Scotland on behalf of the Ruthwell, Cummertrees and Mouswald Parishes Congregational Board. This document outlines the current situation and the proposals for the placement of a septic tank in the adjacent field with water and sewage pipes running across the grounds of the church yard and area for parking of two vehicles. These proposals are prior to Listed Building consent which will be applied for to convert the church into a dwelling in order to secure a sustainable future for this iconic rural church.
Present Situation Mouswald Church is a Category C listed building. The original building dates from 1816 and this was remodelled in 1929 by JM Bowie. The church has a natural Westmoreland slate roof, white painted rubble stone walls and red sandstone dressings. It is felt there has been a place of worship on this site since the 1300 and there is a knight interred within the churchyard, Sir Simon Carruthers died on 22 July 1484, he was the warden of West March and was killed at the Battle of Kirtle in 1448.
He was known as “the belted knight” and laird of Mouswald, whose seat was the border fortress of Mouswald Mains.
The church is a simple rectangular floor plan with belicote above the west entrance lobby topped with a small stone spire. There is a small rectangular chancel to the east end. The pointed arch windows are gothic in style.
It is set in a rural location just to the West of Mouswald village and is surrounded by a graveyard with some significant historic gravestones.
The building was last used as a place of worship approximately eight years ago and has since been de-consecrated due to the diminishing congregation numbers.
At present there is only an electricity supply to the building. To avoid having to excavate a trench for the foul drainage and water services, agreement in principle has already been made with the Council department responsible for the graveyard as well as Building Control which would involve turf being removed and the services laid over the surface of the earth with an insulation layer and top soil/turf covering as detailed in the accompanying drawings. As there are no changes to the hard surface areas and rainwater systems there will be no change to the existing surface water drainage. The new parking area will be finished in absorbent material and will have minimal effect on the surface water drainage. The above approach keeps the intervention to the building to the absolute minimum with no obvious visible external charge.
Access Issues There is space on the roadside adjacent to the sire to park cars, but it is also possible to increase the width of the vehicle access into the graveyard at the North East corner of the site and provide two car parking spaces (approx 5m x 5m). The turf would be removed (but no earth) and a geo-textile membrane laid over with gravel blinded hardcore fill over. The principles of this approach have been agreed with the Council. The existing stone gate posts would be carefully dismantled at the opening extremities. A concave mirror will be place on the opposite side of the road to allow safe access and the location of the opening is within the existing 30mph limit and the single track road has very low level of use.
Policies Policy H3: Housing in the Countryside supports the conversion of traditional buildings as below. The council will support housing proposals in the countryside where the proposals meet one or more of the following criteria:
Conversion of a traditional building.
Policy HE1: Listed Buildings supports the approach described above. a) The council will support development that makes effective, efficient and sustainable use of listed buildings. In considering development that impacts on the character or appearance of a listed building or it is setting the Council will need to be satisfied that:
Proposals to extend or alter a listed building respects the appearance, character and architectural features which contribute to its listing and do not seek to overwhelm or otherwise damage its original character and appearance; and The layout design, materials, scale, siting and the future use shown in any development proposals are appropriate to the character and appearance of the listed building and its setting, and
Proposals for a change of use will not result in loss of character or special architectural or historical features.
Conclusion Mouswald Church is a victim of reducing church congregations yet remains an iconic landmark in this rural part of Dumfriesshires well loved by the local community. Its listing recognises its historic character and indicates its preservation worth. Conversion to a dwelling will make sure the building is sustainable for the foreseeable future and the approach described above shows how minimal intervention will help in preserving its unique character and history.
Listing
Mouswald Parish Church, Churchyard and Gatepiers.
Reference: LB17391
Status: Designated
Summary Information
Category C
Date Added: 03/08/1971 Location: Local Authority: Dumfries and Galloway Planning Authority, Dumfries and Galloway
Parish: Mouswald
National Grid Reference: NGRNY 6519 72673
Coordinates: 306518, 572673
Description: JM Bowie of Dumfries architect, circa 1929, remodeling small plain, rectangular plan, 3 bay church of circa 1816. Painted rubble, with red ashlar dressings, porch, bell turret and spire. Gothic: hood-moulded, painted central doorway on west gable, tall gabled porch with cusped panels and swept gable detail supports octagonal bell turret with louvered opening linked looped hoodmoudling to each face and squat, faceted and crocketed spire, apex cross. Hood-moulded, pointed windows with cusped tracery flank porch (similar windows to bay); panelled clasping buttresses at west end with gobleted pinnacles; gobleted finial over east gable: Former vestry now chancel; low, bull-faced, red ashlar porch added in south east re-entrant angle: Shaped skews; slate roofs. Interior: pain boarded dado, vaulted roof and pews. Octagonal pulpit> leaded 3 light chancel window undated. Early stone font on modern base. Quadrangular church yard enclosure with ashlar-coped rubble builds walls, gate at either end of south wall: square rusticated ashlar gate piers; hearse house to south east of church. Square plan rubble built, crenellated burial enclosure against south wall of church with 1655 armorial panel: armoured male effigy in re- entrant angle: some good 17th-19th century stone monuments