Kirkandrews Church Kirkandrews Dumfries and Galloway

Kirkandrews Church, which was built by James Brown between 1905 and 1906, is situated in the hamlet of Kirkandrews further to the south east of Corseyard. It is also designed to look like a small castle complete with decorative portcullises over the door and windows. Perhaps fittingly, given his influence in constructing such a distinct group of buildings in this area, there is a memorial to James Brown prominently situated in front of the church.  Almost all of Kirkandrews Church is original. The architect was G.H. Higginbottom, of Manchester, who designed several of James Brown's other buildings in the area.  Whimsical features, such as the turret that conceals the chimney, are typical of his work.  James Brown's support for the Arts and Crafts Movement is reflected in his choice of craftsmen, including cabinet-maker Frank Hallows, Hulme, and coppersmith James Smithies, of Wilmslow, Cheshire. In addition to its unusual architecture, Kirkandrews Church has several other notable features, including a chimneypiece with a round-arched fireplace and a castellated lintel, decorative wood panelling and columns, and windows of Norman Slab glass, first manufactured by the Chance Brothers in the 1890s and typically used in the backgrounds of Arts and Crafts stained glass at the turn of the century. The only significant addition to the original fabric is the relief sculpture of the patron saint, St Andrew, made by a local artist, Jemma Montagu, in 1993.  This replaced the original sandstone plaque which had become eroded by damp.

James Brown bought the Knockbrex estate, including Kirkandrews, in 1894. Although he lived and worked in Manchester, he had family roots in south-west Scotland. He carried out many improvements, including the building of the church and several other houses. A large part of the estate was sold, mainly to its tenants, between 1920 and 1950.