Opened 1884

Like the North UF, the South UF had various names over time. Being at the foot (south) of the town, it was sometimes referred to as the Townfoot Church. It was originally known as the Relief Church as part of the denomination formed in the Second Secession in 1761. It became the South UP (United Presbyterian), then the South UF (United Free). It merged with the North UF in 1925 and moved its activities to the North’s building, with the combined congregations being named the Erskine Church.

The congregation had its roots in nearby Canonbie in 1797. The catchment area soon incorporated Langholm and by 1802 its centre was there. After meeting in the open air, the congregation constructed a first building in Townfoot, then a replacement in nearby Drove Road in 1884.

The minister from 1908 to 1925 was Rev James Macdonald from Inverness. Like Rev George Orr of the North UF, he had a strong academic background, having excelled in Arts and Divinity at the University of St Andrews. He undertook additional theological studies at New College, Edinburgh, and Heidelberg University, Germany. His first ministry appointment was in Dornoch, Sutherland. He married Ada Graham from Kirklinton, Cumberland, in 1914 in Carlisle.

His predecessor in 1901-1907 was Rev Thomas Cairncross who published stories and poems and was a mentor to Christopher Grieve (Hugh MacDiarmid). MacDiarmid was a Sunday School teacher at South UF in his teens, but the two fell out later over MacDiarmid’s public criticism of one of Cairncross’s publications.

The church’s Roll of Honour of Great War participants lists 53 people. Nine were killed, including John Warwick in the Gallipoli campaign on 12 July 1915.