KIRKANDREWS

The Pious Saint Andrew - he came from abroad,
He crossed the wide ocean, and landed in Borgue,
He built there a church, which is seen to this day,
At ancient Kirkandrews in fair Galloway.

ALTHOUGH that globe trotting saint's relics litter the world, there are, sadly, none to be seen at Kirkandrews, - and scarcely a trace of the church built in his name. There is, however, a church in Kirkandrews, in the Parish of Borgue, that is well worth a visit.

Ask any Kirkcudbright resident for directions to Borgue and they will smilingly reply, "Out of the world and into Borgue!" For those who live there, it is the centre of the universe, for those who don't it is a village on the B727 from Kirkcudbright.

Kirkandrews is scarcely two miles from the village on the road leading to Carrick Shore. Despite the sign at a left turning indicating a dead end, it is down this narrow lane that the explorer must go to discover the picturesque church of Kirkandrews.

James Brown, Laird of Knockbrex Estate built it, in 1906, on the site of an old corrugated iron Mission Hut. Standing small and square, with its parapet and castellated tower, the church resembles a miniature castle or model fort. There is even an ornamental portcullis above the porch, a feature replicated over the arched windows.

A path, leading from the road, goes through a pretty lychgate with red-tiled roof to the small, picturesque chapel, of dressed whinstone. Dozens of small, matching sized stones - hand picked - are laid in an intricate design on the porch floor. Inside, above the huge stone fireplace is a plaque, depicting St Andrew.

Although never consecrated by the Church of Scotland, Kirkandrews church was used extensively by the population of the village - which was then a thriving community - and surrounding farms.

John Palmer, born in Kirkandrews, the year the church was built, remembers the ministers from both the Established and Wee Free Churches in Borgue taking turns to hold evening service each Sunday. 'And in the summer,' he recalls, 'the evangelical Missions came. We children thought their signing and hallelujahs were great entertainment.'

There was, in earlier days, a church bell, which the children were strictly forbidden to pull. Of course, few could resist the temptation of giving it a quick tug - 'just to see if it really worked' - as they filed into Sunday School. John Palmer remembers an urge to mark the end of World War 1 by letting the bell ring out. 'Unfortunately, the rope broke and I had to wriggle into the belfry to carry out a speedy repair job. The very next Sunday the teacher brought a visitor - an elder from Twynholm church, who was an expert bell ringer.'

John chuckles as he recalls the expert telling the children he had heard their untutored attempts and would demonstrate how it should be done. "Explaining that the bell must say 'Lint and Tow', he gave a mighty tug on the rope and the bell pealed out a clear enough 'Lint' but before it replied with a 'Tow' the temporary repair gave way and the whole rope came down round about him."

The Laird thought the church would be an ideal place to serve lunch to some of the parties, which came regularly to shoot on the well-stocked Knockbrex Estate. In Milne Cottage, behind the church, he built a huge range in the kitchen - much to the delight of Mrs Palmer, John Palmer's mother, who was a 'grand baker.'

Amy Smith, growing up in the area after John and his family had moved away, remembers her mother's envy of that range. "She was always complaining that she was stuck with a useless oven while the new wife in the cottage, who never did any baking, had that wonderful range.

"I used to play there with the daughter and it was in that house I first ate baked beans and learned you could get meat in tins - something that horrified my mother."

Every year a Carol Service is held in Kirkandrews - to which all are welcome - when a warming fire is lit in the huge fireplace.

The Brown family still uses the church for family weddings and christenings. The tiny chapel, decorated with masses of white roses and lilies, looks like a setting for a fairy story. Few places could provide a more romantic setting for a wedding.

The Browns, of Roberton, are concerned about the future of Kirkandrews church. From its early days there have been problems with leaks, corroding lead, warping of the oak panelling and distorting of the metal framed windows. Repairs are prohibitively expensive and the Browns are considering solutions to the problem. Establishing a Family Trust is one option which, they explain, "Would enable us to attract funding for the restoration and up keep of the church."

Although Kirkandrews church, despite its fascinating history and picturesque appearance, is not a well-known tourist attraction, many people do discover it. A glance at the Visitors' Book shows people have visited from all over the UK and from as far afield as Canada.

Visitors came even when John Palmer was growing up in Kirkandrews. The church was kept locked in those days, the key in the care of his mother at Milne Cottage. At first sight of a stranger near the church, John - with great expectations of earning a sixpence for his trouble - offered to fetch the key and ensure its safe return once the visitors had satisfied their curiosity. Today, however, an ever open door welcomes interested visitors - so they might like to put their 'sixpence' in the donation box instead.

Mary Dunlop