The village of Stow is situated on the Gala Water, in the southern part
of Mid-Lothian, near the borders of Roxburghshire and Peeblesshire.
The parish was originally called Wedale, and the church belonged to the
Bishop of St. Andrews, who had a residence there. Hence the village was
known as the Stow of Wedale.
[Illustration: FIG. 1599.--Stow Church. Plan.]
The original Church of St. Mary was at a distance from the village, but
the existing ruin, which is partly of some antiquity, stands in the
ancient churchyard close to the village.
[Illustration: FIG. 1600.--Stow Church. View from South-West.]
The structure is for the most part of seventeenth century date, but a
portion at the south-west angle is much older, and has been
incorporated with the newer building. The plan of the church, as it now
stands (Fig. 1599), consists of an oblong 67 feet in length by 21 feet
in width internally, with a wing on the south side 14 feet long by 11
feet wide within the walls.
The principal oblong chamber appears to have been constructed at two
different times, there being a break in the interior of the wall at 20
feet from the east end. There is also a slight exterior projection on
the outside of the north wall at the same point. The eastern addition
has evidently been made so as to provide a gallery, probably a private
one, at this end. The gallery was entered by a long slope or ramp on the
exterior of the east wall, beneath which was a door giving access to the
space below the gallery. The gallery and space below were lighted by
square-headed windows in the south wall. On the jamb of the east doorway
is carved the date 1799.
The arrangements at the west end have been similar to those at the east
end. There was a gallery, lighted by a large traceried window (Fig.
1600) in the west wall of seventeenth century design, and the space
below the gallery had two square-headed windows in the same wall,
divided with mullions. A round-headed doorway in the south wall gave
[Illustration: FIG. 1601.
Stow Church.