City Churches, Dundee - Ref: WC1886
The stonework of St Mary's Tower, more popularly known as the Old Steeple, is clearly much older than the adjoining church in this photograph. The City Churches were devastated by fire in January, 1841. Also lost in the fire was the church library which contained over 1800 volumes, many valuable and irreplaceable works.
Fortunately the Old Steeple survived the fire and is today one of Dundee's oldest buildings dating back to the 1480s. The City Churches were rebuilt. They now consist of St Mary's Parish Church, the Steeple Church and the Mary Slessor Community Centre.
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.