In 1847, Alexander Penrose Forbes was elected new Bishop of Brechin and chose to make Dundee his permanent residence.

Thus, he "urged his people to take on the holy work of building, to the glory of God, a stately church",[1] a place which would offer refuge to the many poor that lived in the surrounding tenements.

[2] It was designed by George Gilbert Scott and is in the style of the Middle or Decorated period of Gothic architecture.

The total cost of the building exceeded £14,000, and ten years passed before the congregation could pay off all the debts incurred.

Dundee is one of only three cities in Scotland to have more than one set of change ringing bells, the others being Edinburgh and Aberdeen.