St. Nicholas, Buccleuch

There has been a place of worship on the site for since the early 1300’s but with some evidence that a small chapel was on the site from the mid 11th C. The original building was altered after the Reformation with the area known as the Apse closed off (and for many years left to the elements and progressive decay). The Apse area would, in pre-Reformation times, have been the high altar from where the priests would have conducted services. The church was significantly renovated in Victorian times and, essentially, the original building is encased within the present outer and inner walls. The original pews were removed in the 1980s and further alterations undertaken following the union between St. Nicholas and the Buccleuch Church (locally known as the West Parish).

View from the Balcony

Collection Box

Used to stretch along the church pews so that those attending service could make their donation to the work of the Church

Scout Flags

The Midlothian County Flag (in the frame) was laid up in the 1960s and is believed to be the oldest Scout County Flag in Scotland. The three other flags are from the 16th Midlothian Scout Group which met in the St. Nicholas Church Hall.

Memorial to Rev. Magnus McIntosh M.A.

Parish Minister from 1950 to 1979. The memorial represents the Cycle of Life and was designed by Alison Kinnaird from Temple; an internationally recognised artist, particularly in glass.

Organ

This shows the organ transferred from the Buccleuch Church at the union with St. Nicholas.

Pulpit

Candlesticks

These were used on the Chancel, probably during later Victorian times.

Piscine

This was left exposed during the Victorian refurbishment and is part of the original church fabric where the priests would have washed the communion vessels after use.

Calderwood Memorial

Rev. Calderwood ministered in St.Nicholas during the 1600’s and was very active in witch hunting and securing convictions of alleged witches in Dalkeith.

Hammermen's Banner

This is the original 1600 craft banner. For many years there were a number of Trade Lofts around the Church where craftsmen of similar trades would assemble to worship. Dalkeith had a number of trade guilds each with their own loft.

Belfry Door

Bell Ropes

Apse Gate

Apse

Morton Memorial

These figures were found when the Apse was cleared out by the Church Men’s Association in the early 1960’s and represent James Douglas 1st Earl of Morton and his wife Princess Joanna.

Morton Memorial

Princess Joanna was the deaf daughter of James 1st. of Scotland. She was known , in Latin , as Mute Domina (mute lady ) of Dalkeith. The Morton family were the Lords of Dalkeith until 1642 when Francis 2nd. Earl of Buccleuch purchased the estate.