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history |
The 'New Church' was opened as the second parish church of Dumfries, situated at the far end of the High Street from the existing parish church, St Michael's, in order to relieve congestion caused by the town's expansion to around 4,000. The funds for the building (built 1724-1727) were obtained from an Act of Parliament of 1717 entitling the town to impose a duty of 2d on the pint of ale or beer brewed or sold within the burgh. The church building was soon found to be too small and, by 1864, it was requiring such expensive repairs that it was decided to rebuild it at a cost of £4,000 - the town council agreeing to provide £1,500 of this sum. The design chosen was by Starforth, an Edinburgh architect and the building was completed by 1868, having cost fully £7,000. It was renamed Greyfriars Church as it was located near to the site of the mediaeval Greyfriars monastery of Dumfries. The church was in the Synod and Presbytery of Dumfries, from 1976 the Presbytery of Dumfries and Kirkcudbright. |