Description

David Whyte, 1798-1800 with additions; session house to S and W porch (originally one of pair) constructed earlier-to-mid 19th century; hall extensions added to N/E later-late 19th century and 1985; alterations and interior recast 1897-99 by John Houston. 5-bay; rectangular-plan; plain classical former church (built as Secession chapel) with Renaissance porch added to S and other additions to N, E and W. Symmetrical design with pedimented gables with thermal windows to original structure. Coursed droved sandstone (less finely coursed to rear and side elevations) with lightly droved ashlar dressings. Base course to N and S elevations and to S porch; eaves course throughout. Segmental-headed lower windows. Architraved windows to main block; upper ones round-arched. V-jointed angle quoins to principal elevation; plain margins elsewhere. Coped gables.

S (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 2-storey porch to centre; projecting ground floor rounded at edges; flat roof hidden by parapet above cornice. Slightly projecting entrance bay to centre; round-arched entrance with flanking Doric pilasters supporting entablature; 2-leaf panelled timber door with fanlight. Flanking windows to curved bays. Window to return to either side. Pedimented upper floor (possibly later) set back; 3 bays divided by Ionic pilasters supporting entablature with dentilled cornice (which continues to returns on both sides). Architraved window with frieze and pediment to centre; architraved flanking windows with friezes and cornices. Plain piers surmounted by urns project to either side at ground floor; single ground floor window to return to either side. Tall flanking round-arched windows set back to main block. Lower and upper windows to outer bays.

W ELEVATION: porch extension to centre; flat roof hidden by low parapet above cornice. Window to centre; round-arched entrance to right return; 2-leaf panelled timber door with fanlight. Flanking lower and upper windows set back to main block, all segmental-headed; round-arched window above. 3-light mullioned thermal window to pedimented gable; later urn finial at apex.

N ELEVATION: single storey hall extension to left wraps around corner of E elevation; round-arched traceried window to gable end to left; irregular fenestration to partially rendered piended-roofed section to right; entrance to right return; 2-leaf panelled timber door and border-glazed rectangular fanlight. 2 windows set back to right of main block. Central round-arched upper window; flanking pairs of segmental-headed upper windows.

E ELEVATION: single-storey ground floor extensions to left and right. 3-light mullioned thermal window to pediment; later urn finial at apex.

Multi-pane fixed timber frame windows (and 2 leaded stained glass ones) to principal elevation; mostly aluminium replacements elsewhere. Grey slate roofs; octagonal ventilator lantern with finalled conical roof to ridge at centre of main block. Small stack (with moulded round terracotta can) set back slightly from pedimented gable to S porch; slender brick wallhead stack added to N side; gablehead stack to hall extension to N.

INTERIOR: recast in 1897 and most of plasterwork decoration seems to date from this time, as do timber balustrades to pair of staircases to gallery. Semicircular-plan gallery supported on cast-iron columns probably original. Pair of large stained glass windows to S depicting scenes from Resurrection by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, 1903; circular stained glass window to N (originally in S wall), apparently depicting Christ, circa 1875.

BOUNDARY WALL: encloses site on S, W and part of N sides. Coursed droved sandstone with ashlar coping; stepped up along terrace on which church is situated. Wide entranceway flanking steps to S; flanking Egyptian-style cast-iron lamp standards at top.

Statement of Interest

This former church occupies a significant place in the history of the Dissenting Movement. It was built to replace an earlier building (situated slightly to the S) which had been home to a congregation founded in the early 1740's by the Rev Ralph Erskine, one of the founders of the Secession Movement. It remained in ecclesiastical use (as a Church of Scotland Church) until 1998, when it was sold for use as a creche. It was unfavourably described in 'The New Statistical Account of Scotland' (1845) as 'rearing its enormous rectilinear ridge over all the other buildings in Dunfermline, the Abbey Church itself not excepted'. See separate list description for adjacent Statue of Ralph Erskine.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17816524

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
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  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
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  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)