The small town of Lauder stands in the wide and fertile vale of the
Leader Water, about six miles (over a high hill) from the nearest
railway station at Stow. The ancient parish church of Lauder was
bestowed, in the reign of David i., on Sir Hugh Morville, Constable of
Scotland. It was afterwards given by Devorgilla, wife of John Baliol, to
Dryburgh Abbey, to which it remained attached till the Reformation. It
appears that there were two chapels connected with the parish church in
different parts of the parish.
The existing parish church (Fig. 1560) stands in the ancient churchyard.
It has apparently been entirely rebuilt in 1673, which date is carved on
the north gable. Chalmers, however, says that the ancient church was
relinquished in 1617, when a new church was erected. The present
structure, although very late, shows some reminiscences of Gothic forms,
both in its plan and elevations.
[Illustration: FIG. 1560.--Lauder Church. Plan.]
The plan is a Greek cross having four equal arms extending from a
central crossing. The latter is 14 feet square, and each arm is 28 feet
6 inches in length by 16 feet in width internally. The crossing is
surmounted by four pointed arches, which spring from a massive pier at
each angle, and carry the central tower. In the north-west and
south-east angles of the arms there are introduced two entrance lobbies,
giving access to the four arms and to staircases, leading to a gallery
in each arm. The space on the ground floor below the galleries is low,
and is lighted by two square windows in the end wall of each arm (Fig.
1561), with moulded jambs and lintel, while each upper floor or gallery
is lighted by means of a large pointed window in the gable, filled with
plain intersecting tracery, with mullions and transoms.
The entrance doorways have round arches with hood moulding, and the side
windows of the staircases are pointed. The external angles of the
building and the outline of the windows are all finished with a broad
fillet, projected so as to receive rough casting. The skews of the
gables are plain and do not project, and the joints are horizontal. Each
skew has a large projecting stone at bottom. These appear to have
carried small pyramidal ornaments, two of which are still preserved.
[Illustration: FIG. 1561.--Lauder Church. View from North-West.]
The central tower is square till it reaches the ridge of the main roofs,
above which point it becomes octagonal, and is finished with a slated
roof. A small round-headed window of a late style is inserted in four
sides of the octagonal part or belfry.
The staircase buildings in the two angles do not appear to be parts of
the original structure, or at least would seem to have been a good deal
altered.
In the neighbourhood of Lauder is Thirlestane Castle,[242] the
residence of the Duke of Lauder, well known in connection with the
attempted introduction in the seventeenth century of Episcopacy into
Scotland. It seems not unlikely that the quasi-Gothic character of the
church may have been the result of his influence.