St Bride's, Douglas - A family mausoleum

Abstract

The church of St Bride’s, Douglas (NGR: NS 8359 3095), which is cared for by Historic Scotland, contains an impressive series of tombs and memorials to members of the Douglas family. Three of these tombs, dating from the second quarter of the 14th century to the mid-15th century, take the form of recesses, and are set with in the north and south walls of the choir. The architecture of the earliest of the three shows an awareness of the work of late 13th/early 14th-century English court masons, while the canopies of the other two are more closely related to major Scottish building campaigns, notably at Melrose and possibly at Lincluden. The scope of the sources for all three tombs is a reflection of the status of their patrons, and the very high quality of the effigies emphasizes their high social standing.