LANGHOLM ALL SAINTS SCOTTISH EPISCOPALIAN CHURCH
How many of you reading this have ever visited this church, situated on the outskirts of Langholm in the Dumfries and Galloway Region of Scotland. This historic building , currently Listed by Historic Scotland as a category B Listed building which roughly means that it is a ‘building of National Importance’. It began its life as a place of worship in September of 1883 and on opening it had a bronze bell raised on a timber frame at the North end of the West Gable, the bell having been cast by the Mears and Stainbank foundry in London.

The uniqueness of the building is not immediately apparent until you ‘scratch the surface’ and discover that the walls are made of 2x2 timber framing and clad both outside and inside with, you’ve guessed it, wood. The roof is also of completely wooden construction and from its early days the worshippers would have been hardy god-fearing souls because THERE IS NO INSULATION
ANYWHERE IN THE BUILDING.

Back to my original question, how many of you have visited this church.??????? and my feelings are that many are shaking their heads saying that they could think of more inspirational places to visit than a wooden church. So, I’ll begin the article again, but with a different heading.

CLAN ARMSTRONG MUSEUM – LODGE WALK – LANGHOLM
How many of you reading this have ever visited the Clan Armstrong Museum in Lodge Walk on the outskirts of Langholm in the Dumfries and Galloway Region of Scotland. AAhhhhhh!!!!!!! Now the penny drops, many of those who were previously shaking their heads are now nodding because both introductions refer to the same building.

With such an iconic building, one which holds such memories for His Grace The Duke of Buccleuch and his family, comes the occasional, every 100 or so years, a need for structural maintenance.
The Clan Armstrong Trust, current tenants of the old church, recently noted several structural faults and asked the Buccleuch Estates Factor if he could carry out an inspection of the building to ascertain what repairs were necessary to preserve the structure.

The inspection now completed has revealed that repairs to ensure that the building remains structurally sound will have to be completed as soon as possible but this comes at a cost, currently estimated at around £10,000.00, with the possibility that additional cosmetic work may be necessary after the major works programme has been completed.

We are therefore launching a fundraising appeal inviting members of the Armstrong ‘family’, and others, to help us ensure the survival of this unique building. The appeal is to be called “The Friends of the Armstrong Museum Appeal” and donations, however large or small, will be gratefully received. Anyone wishing to donate should make their payments out to “The Clan Armstrong Trust” and send them to either the Treasurer or Company Secretary. Funds received will be held in trust until the final cost of restoration is known whereupon donors will be provided with details on the programme of works to be undertaken, including a breakdown of expenditure on each phase of the programme.

If you would like to make an online donation then please click here for UK or click here for Rest of the World.