Sacred Heart RC Church

The red sandstone facade of Sacred Heart catches you as you walk through Newton Stewart - a proper statement of Victorian confidence that's somehow managed to avoid the demolition bullet so many Scottish churches haven't. Built in the 1880s, it's the sort of building that makes you stop and look up, especially if you're coming from the modest grey stone cottages that line the main street.

Inside, the church does what Victorian Catholic architecture does best: it doesn't do things by halves. High ceilings, decent stained glass, all the trimmings you'd expect from a period when the Church had money and knew how to spend it. The real draw here is the craftsmanship - the sort of detail in the joinery and tilework that modern builders wouldn't dream of attempting.

It's worth a walk around, particularly if you're stopping in Newton Stewart anyway, which you probably will be if you're based at Drumroamin Farm just up the road. The farm's got a solid reputation, and the church sits comfortably within an afternoon's wandering about the town. Don't expect a lengthy visit - thirty minutes covers it properly - but it's the kind of place that rewards proper attention. The church is usually accessible during daylight hours, though opening times aren't posted anywhere obvious, so knock on the door if you find it closed. Free to look around, obviously. History types will get more from it than casual visitors, if we're being honest.