St David's Church

St David’s Church stands in Dalkeith, Midlothian, as a Roman Catholic parish church. It was founded in 1854 by Cecil Chetwynd Kerr, Marchioness of Lothian, and designed by Joseph Hansom. The building is listed as category A, recognising its architectural importance. The church’s founder followed the Oxford Movement and later converted to Catholicism. Her spiritual adviser was John Henry Newman, a leading figure in the movement. Lady Lothian had previously built St John’s Church in Jedburgh for the Episcopalian community. The church is worth the journey for its historical connections and architectural merit. It opened in May 1854, with Father Mackay as the first parish priest. In 1860, the Society of Jesus took charge of the parish until 1944. Lady Lothian died in Rome in 1877, and her body was buried beneath the altar here. The Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh has administered the church since the Jesuits left. Inside, visitors find a space designed by Joseph Hansom, noted for its craftsmanship. The church holds the founder’s grave at the foot of the altar. Nearby is St Luke and St Anne Church in Mayfield, part of the same parish. St David’s School, opened in 1854, also belongs to the parish’s history. The Sisters of Mercy once taught there before moving to Loreto School in 1966.