Old Parish Church of St Cuthbert, Langton

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 09/06/1971 Local Authority Scottish Borders Planning Authority Scottish Borders Parish Langton NGR NT 76248 52535 Coordinates 376248, 652535 — Various early gravestones. Part of wall of now ruined church used as vault (see Notes). Tall rubble boundary wall. — This listing is in a group B listing with the other extant buildings, and the principal gate, on the Langton estate. The church was already ruinous and part of it had been made into a vault by 1857. According to Binnie, the church's roof fell in, in 1727 and in 1736 extensive repairs were carried out ( virtually rebuilding the structure). In 1758, the Langton estate was bought by David Gavin and he proceeded to build Gavinton, where the inhabitants of Langton village were moved. The old village was demolished except for the church. "It is likely that the 3m high wall around the graveyard dates from about this time and was built to exclude churchgoers' prying eyes from Langton House." Once the new church was built in Gavinton, the old church was probably demolished although the churchyard was used until at least 1868. There is a headstone dated 1620 and is said to be the oldest headstone in Scotland. The family of the burial vault is unknown. To its centre there is an arched pedimented gravestone with skull and crossbone carved. The inscription beneath this is now too weathered to be read. There was various openings. The internal roof is smooth vaulted. Binnie thinks that the vault was probably built for the Cockburn family in the 18th century.

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.