The church of Our Lady and St Andrew, which was completed in 1858 and extended in 1870, was founded by Robert Hope-Scott, a descendent of Sir Walter Scott. He played a large role in giving the local Catholic community a place to worship and bought land to build a chapel and school.

When the chapel proved to be too small for the ever-growing Catholic community, he bought the land where the church of Our Lady and St Andrew still stands today.

The side altar with a stained glass window was gifted to the church by the Polish soldiers stationed in Galashiels during the Second World War who worshipped there. The Church is one of the finest decorative Victorian churches in the Scottish Borders.