The parish church of Walston stands on a height overlooking the vale of
the river Medwin, about two miles west from Dolphinton. Till near the
end of the thirteenth century the Church of Walston was a lay rectory in
the gift of the Lord of the Manor. It is specially referred to in an
award of 1293.[261] The edifice stands in an ancient churchyard, and not
far from what was formerly a mansion known as the “Place of Walston.”
[Illustration: FIG. 1607.--Walston Church. Plan.]
The existing church (Fig. 1607) stands north and south, and is a long
single chamber 64 feet 6 inches in length and 16 feet in width
internally. A portion has been cut off the north end to form a vestry.
The original church is believed to have stood east and west. At the
south end a portion of the existing structure is evidently, from its
workmanship, of a different period from the remainder. The ashlar work
of which it is built is seen to stop beyond the first window from the
south (Fig. 1608). This was doubtless the wing or transept erected by
Robert Baillie of Walston, in 1650, as a burial-place for his family.
The remainder of the church was rebuilt in its new position in
continuation of the south wing by the Rev. Patrick Molleson, minister
(born 1746, died 1825), who has placed the letters M. P. M. and the date
1789 on the north gable.
[Illustration: FIG. 1608.--Walston Church. View from South-West.]
The south wing is the only part worthy of notice. The window shows the
feeling for the Gothic revival of the seventeenth century. In the panel
over it is the inscription “Give God the onlie honour and glory.
[Illustration: FIG. 1609.--Walston Church, showing Dormer.]
Anno 1656.” The entrance doorway to the wing, which contained a tomb
below and a gallery above, is in the east side. Over the flat lintelled
door is the quotation, “Keep thy foot when thou goest to the House of
God, and be more ready to hear than to give the sacrifice of
fools.--Ecclesiastes, chapter V., verse 1.” The tomb and gallery are now
removed, and the space thrown into the church. In the pavement on the
site is inscribed “In memory of John Allain, Esq., of Elsrickle.” The
quaint dormer window, shown in Fig. 1609, was taken down during the
repairs made on the church a few years ago.