Overview
Admire the mausoleum of the Black Douglases, friends to Robert the Bruce and one of the most powerful noble families in 1300s Scotland.
St Bride’s Church was built as the parish church of the town of Douglas, but it was not to remain a regular church. Archibald ‘the Grim’, 3rd earl of Douglas, modified the church as a resting-place for his father, Sir James of Douglas, who died in 1330.
From then, the church became the mausoleum of the Black Douglas earls. Here you can find monumental effigies of the Douglas earls in three canopied tombs, while on the tower there’s the oldest known working clock in Scotland.
Explore the history of Douglas
Make a trip to the nearby Douglas Heritage Museum to learn about the Black and Red Douglas families, the Cameronian Regiment, and to view artifacts from the nearby Douglas Castle. Visit the Douglas Heritage Museum website for information on opening hours. Entrance to the museum is free of charge, but donations are welcomed. Please note that the museum is not managed by Historic Environment Scotland.
