South Lanarkshire
St Bride’s Church was built as the parish church of the town of Douglas, but it was not to remain a regular church. Archibald ‘the Grim’, 3rd earl of Douglas, modified the church as a resting-place for his father, Sir James of Douglas, who died in 1330.
From then, the church became the mausoleum of the Black Douglas earls. Here you can find monumental effigies of the Douglas earls in three canopied tombs, while on the tower there’s the oldest known working clock in Scotland.
This Doors Open Days become a soap mason! Take inspiration from the incredible stone carvings at St Bride’s to create your own masterpiece in soap. This activity explores the theme of stonemasonry- stonemasons would have travelled around the country and often from much further afield to complete their apprenticeships and to work on Scotland’s churches, castles, and cathedrals. Carving styles historically connected a variety of geographic locations and traditions, and the continuation of traditional skills in the 21st century connects modern stonemasons to Scotland’s past.
Facilities
Additional Access Information
Access to the church and surrounding church yard is level, but over rough ground.
Gallery
Key Information
Booking not required.
Where to find us
Address
- St Bride's Church
- Douglas
- ML11 0RB