The Church, Rectory and Parish Rooms

Our buildings comprise the late 19th Century Church and (earlier) adjacent Rectory, part of which has been adapted for use as church social space – our Parish Rooms. They are old and interesting buildings, making an attractive grouping in a prominent location when entering Dollar from the west. Although now in need of some repair and refurbishment, they are a fine legacy, which we hold in trust for the future.

The Church is open daily 9.30am to 5pm (4pm in mid-winter) for visits, private prayer, or just a quiet place to sit.

ST JAMES’S CHURCH: In the mid-19th Century there had been a congregation of the Scottish Episcopal Church in Dollar for some years, but the lease on the premises they occupied was running out. The building of the new Church began in the autumn of 1879, on land given to the Church on condition of the building being completed within three years. Consecration of the Church took place in July 1882 – just meeting the deadline, although there had been many problems during the construction and there had been concerns that the condition of the gift would not met. The Vestry was added in 1934 and the South Porch in 1957.

RECTORY: Initially there was no house for the first Rector, who rented a home some distance from the Church. In 1886 enough money was raised to purchase the present Rectory, which as originally a private house built earlier in the 19th Century.

PARISH ROOMS: In the 1980s, part of the Rectory was converted to meeting rooms, with a small kitchen and toilet. These are in regular use today, for social events and meetings associated with St James; they are also available for private rental. For information on letting the Parish Rooms, [to follow].

THE FUTURE: We are in the process of drawing up plans to carry out essential repairs to all of our buildings. In addition, and over time, we have ambitions to transform the west end of the church into a more flexible, multi-use space, including a toilet with wheelchair access and a tea station. This would be for our own and wider community use, and would respect the sacred space near the altar.

Our Grounds and Gardens

The Church is surrounded by pleasant grounds, maintained by a team of volunteers. They are open to all and visitors are always welcome. Two special areas of note are:

• The Memorial Garden: [Information to follow]
• The Prayer Labyrinth: located at the western end of the Church grounds. More information on the Labyrinth can be found here.

The Rectory garden is a private outside space for a resident minister but it has also hosted many Parish garden parties and BBQs. (Sadly, often in wet weather!)

History of St James’s Church

If you would like to know more about our history, see here.