[1] Anwoth Old Church was built on a nearby site in 1626, and in 1627, shortly after receiving his licence to preach the gospel, Samuel Rutherford took up residence as the minister at the invitation of John Gordon of Kenmure;[1] Rutherford remained at the parish until 1636, when his disagreements with the church authorities led to his prohibition from practising as a minister and exile to Aberdeen.

[5] A vestry was added later in the 19th century,[5] and in 1905 a new roof was installed, along with new furniture and a raised gallery by the James Barbour and his partner John McLintock Bowie.

[6] Further alterations were made between 1958 and 1959 by Antony Curtiss Wolffe,[6] a refugee with Jewish ancestry who fled Nazi Germany before training as an architect in Edinburgh, and eventually settling in Dumfries and Galloway.

[5] Anwoth Parish Church is of a plain, rectangular Neo-gothic design with a rubble exterior and polished red sandstone detailing.

[5] Inside, the king post truss roof installed in 1905 is exposed, and along the west wall there is a raised gallery that was constructed at the same time.