Love Your Local Church – St David’s Catholic Church, Dalkeith
Annette Brydone
In the latest of our continuing series of “Love Your Local Church” blogs, where guest bloggers share with readers their reflections on churches that they love, former Scotland’s Churches Trust trustee Annette Brydone writes about the remarkable St David’s Roman Catholic Church in Dalkeith, Midlothian.
Founded in 1854 by Cecil Chetwynd Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian, St David’s RC Church is a beautiful church in Dalkeith. It is a listed building, designed by noted architect Joseph Hansom in the early English Gothic style, with an attractive exterior, but its interior is particularly lovely.
Most striking for the visitor is the Sanctuary Arch with a mural depicting the coronation of Mary as Queen of Heaven by Christ. Underneath are two other coronations of Queen Margaret of Scotland (St Margaret) and her son King David I of Scotland (St David) to whom the church is dedicated. Outside the entrance to the church are handrails depicting scenes from the life of St David and which were originally altar rails in the Sanctuary.
The stained glass windows of St John, Our Lady and St Paul, were given by Lady Lothian in memory of her son and daughter and the Sanctuary ceiling is coffered and adorned with beautiful stencils.
On the north side of the church is the Lady altar and a beautiful Pieta Shrine by the famous firm Mayer of Munich. There is also a wonderful painting of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour, and Mayer of Munich were also commissioned to create the hand carved shrine surrounding it.
On the south side is a small altar dedicated to St Ignatius, a reminder that the church was served for many years by Jesuit priests. There is also an altar dedicated to the Holy Souls where members of the Kerr family are buried. On both north and south sides are the striking Stations of the Cross, with the figures on each scene standing out in bold relief. The church’s pipe organ was built by the firm Hamilton of Edinburgh.
St David’s is an unexpected gem in Dalkeith and well worth a visit. It is usually only open for the daily services at 10am and for the Saturday vigil Mass at 6pm or the Sunday Mass at 11am.
Our thanks to Annette for contributing this blog and for the images that accompany it. If you would like to write a blog for us about your favourite Scottish church do please get in touch.