A number of churches dedicated to St. Michael have stood on this site since the time Dumfries received its first Royal Charter from William the Lion in the 12th century. The present church was rebuilt in 1744. The spire, which was built 4 years earlier, had withstood the test of time until a few years ago when it had to be partly dismantled and rebuilt. The photographs above and below, taken in 1998, shows a platform around the top of the spire. Since then similar work to repair steeples has had to be carried out on Greyfriar's, St. John's and St Andrews.

The mottled appearance on the face of the tower and the main building indicate where repair work was carried out on the facing stones. 
Photographs taken recently show that it will take some time for new stone to weather to match the rest.  St Michael's is the Parish Church of Dumfries and around it is the oldest town graveyard. Greyfriars, built in 1876, replaced the 'New Kirk' (1727), the second Church of Scotland building to be built in Dumfries.  Just last month, January 2004, Greyfriars closed its doors. The congregation have been joined with St Mary's.