City Churches, Dundee - Ref: WC1403
In this winters day photograph the City Churches and Tower of St Mary's can be seen. The tower is more usually known as the Old Steeple in Dundee. It was built in the late 15th century and has served as a watch-tower, a belfry, a stronghold and a prison in its long often turbulent history.
The City Churches comprised of four separate churches under one roof. A devastating fire in 1841 led to the catastrophic destruction of the churches. Fortunately the Old Steeple survived. The churches were rebuilt. The statue in the photograph is the Mercat Cross. The cross is still in Dundee but no longer at the same site.
Alexander Wilson who took this photograph, was a supervisor in a Dundee jute mill for over 20 years. He bequeathed much of his collection and £50, to cover the costs involved, to the Free Library Committee of Dundee in 1923.