St Mary's Episcopal Church
Gatehouse of Fleet, Dumfries and Galloway
Built in 1871, and consecrated in November 1872, All Saints was originally the private chapel of Edward James Stopford-Blair of Penninghame Estate. He bequeathed both the Rectory and Church to the Diocese of Glasgow and Galloway on his death in 1885.
The architects were WG Habershon & Pite of London, and the church was built by Messrs. Murray of Newton Stewart and Annandale of Edinburgh. According to an article in Building News, December 1872 : 'The church comprises nave and chancel, wood porch on stone base and gabled organ chamber and sacristy with the style being Early Decorated. It is built of blue limestone with white freestone dressings and lined throughout with Bath ashlar. The pulpit, font and wood screen are by Cox and Sons'.
The cemetery contains the graves of many of the Earls of Galloway as well as Commonwealth War Graves from both World Wars. The colourful windows at All Saints are the work of two eminent stained glass artists, Charles Eamer Kempe and Charles Alexander Gibbs. The triple west window is by Kempe (1837-1907) whose maker’s mark was the wheatsheaf.
The peal of three bells was recast in 1924 by Taylors of Loughborough and later tuned and restored and electronically mechanised in 1989. They were restored in November 2022 again by Taylors in time for the 150th celebration. A commemorative textile made by members of the congregation and depicting the local flora and fauna was blessed by the Bishop of Glasgow and Galloway, the Right Reverend Kevin Pearson at a special service and is now on permanent display.
All Saints boasts a unique organ built by Harston of Newark on Trent in 1881, in that it is a fine example of a manual ‘tracker’. An electric blower was added in 1956, and it was restored in 1992. It is thought to be the only example of Harston’s work still in its original condition in use in Great Britain.
The rectory was sold into private ownership in 2014. The church has had some improvements including a toilet block, ramped access, foyer and kitchen, and a car park in recent years.