St Bride's Church (Mausoleum of the Black Douglases)

Image: © G Laird Taken: 16 Jan 2013

This ruin was once the parish church of Douglas. The remains consist of the choir (housing the altar) and the south aisle of the nave, both late 14th century in date, with a clock tower added in the 16th century. The clock dating from 1565 is probably the oldest working in Scotland. The choir was reroofed in the 19th century. Douglasdale was the original power base of the 'Black' Douglases. Modest landowners in the 13th century, they gained enormously through their support for Robert the Bruce. By 1400, they were the most powerful family in Southern Scotland. But this position brought them into coflict with the Stewart king, James II, and in 1455 they were overthrown. Their castle at Douglas was finally destroyed by fire in 1755, but a tangible reminder of them still exists here, for the parish church became their mausoleum. Three fine wall tombs survive in the choir, together with memorials from more recent times.

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