Statue of Lord John Douglas Montagu Scott(1809-60) at Dunchurch

The statue shows the third son of the Duke of Buccleuch and stands on the cross roads. It was erected by his tenants in affectionate remembrance of him after he died on 3rd January 1860. He was the first Lord of a Manor to choose to live in his location and to become part of his community. He was also a Grenadier Guards officer and MP for Roxburghshire. He died 1860 aged 50.

The statue was unveiled on 2nd December 1867 and was made and designed by Joseph Durham A.B.A. from Portland stone.

A tradition developed in the 1970's of clandestinely dressing the statue over the Festive period in the attire of a fashionable television or cartoon character. The first time it was a soldier complete with gas mask, since then it has taken many guises including Father Christmas, an angel, a Shepard, Harry Potter, Darth Maul from Star Wars, Bart Simpson, A Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle, Mr Blobby, Shrek and Martin Johnson.

Lord John's wife, Alicia Ann Spottiswoode from Berkshire, composed 'Annie Laurie' first published in 1835 and attributed towards 'The Bonny, Bonny Banks of Loch Lomond'. The couple resided in Cawston House and were much loved benefactors in Dunchurch although they are said to have ruled with a rod of iron.

Lord John was a trustee of Rugby School and a pillar in the church in his village. In 1841 he had the seating of St. Peters entirely renewed to the open system, doing away with private box pews and asking for 'just a space where I may sit among the labouring men of the parish'. At the time of his death he had equipped a new vessel to test some of the problems of deep sea fishing.

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