08/06/08

In the spring of 2008 the Trust was fortunate to secure the services of Douglas Swan & Sons, monumental sculptors from Kirkcudbright www.kirkcudbright.co.uk/swan/ who have done a marvelous job of restoring some of the old gravestones that had been ravaged by time and the attention of cattle and sheep that had able to access the graveyard prior to it being fenced off.  Pictures of some of the stones can be seen on the Gallery 3 and Gallery 4 pages.

The Trust is pleased to report that the Kirk is visited by a small but steady stream of visitors who come to enjoy the peace and tranquility that the site has to offer.

02/05/05

Work is now complete to stabilise the old Kirk and its environs. Following the construction of the footpath last year some remedial work has been required to repair erosion caused by heavy winter rains. A gate along the footpath also had to be repaired when one of the farm's bulls took a dislike to it. Weeds along the pathside have been strimmed by the Criminal Justice Department.

Bones that had been removed to Dumfries Museum following previous excavations of the site have now been returned and reburied in a chamber in the Kirk yard. Above the chamber has been erected a cairn using some of the old stone from the Kirk building including three centre pieces of the chancel arch of which no other trace remains. Attached to the cairn is a plaque describing the history of the site. All the roadside signs are now in place - on the A75, B7020 and C30(A) - and an explanatory sign has been erected at the access point to the site.

And so it was with great satisfaction that the newly restored Little Dalton Kirk was opened to the public at a ceremony held at the site on Saturday 30th April 2008. All those who had contributed in any way were invited to attend. Mr Jamie Carruthers, Chairman of the Little Dalton Kirk Trust, thanked George Green for the persistence with which he persuaded us that the local importance of this site was just too great for it to suffer from continuing neglect. He was actively supported by Lord Monro, then a Scottish Office Minister. But it was not until the baton was picked up by Mrs Doris Marshall, who identified the important sources of assistance, and put together a plan of campaign, that the project really took off. Christopher Carruthers was then persuaded to take over and we are immensely grateful for the huge effort on his part to bring this project to fruition.

Thanks was also given to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Landfill Tax Credit Scheme, The Barscobe Heritage Trust, Upper Annandale & Eskdale Area Committee and Dumfries & Galloway Council for their financial support. But money also came from many individuals, too numerous to name, but many with connections (indeed some very tenuous) with the Carruthers family. This project could not have been completed without their help. Advice and guidance came from Gillian Lausen on whose family’s land the Kirk is situated and without whose support and permission we just could not have carried out these works. It also came from Keith Copeland and G M Thomson & Co on her behalf, Michael Leybourne, Ian Boyce and Nic Coombey of Solway Heritage, Andrew Nicholson archaeologist with Dumfries & Galloway Council, members of Dalton & Carrutherstown Community Council and the Kirk trustees.The work itself was carried out by David Hardie Engineering and stone masons D Little. Hoddam Contracting Co donated gravel for the access path and maintenance has been carried out by the Criminal Justice Department. Our thanks go to all of these individuals and organisations.

Mrs Doris Marshall then declared the site open.

It is hoped that the peaceful tranquility of the site will be enjoyed by many generations of local people and visitors alike.