St Cuthbert's Episcopal Church, Westgarth Avenue, Colinton, Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Edinburgh

Description

Sir Robert Rowand Anderson, 1888-9 with additions, 1894-8, and Matthew M. Ochterlony, 1934; church hall, Alexander Lorne Campbell, 1925. Scots gothic church with 3-stage, square-plan tower to NE surmounted by 17th century style lead-covered belfry. Approximately cruciform plan with 7-bay nave, later (1934) transepts to N & S, advanced aisle to S, and corridor connecting to large Church Hall (parallel to Church at S of site). Rake-jointed variegated Hailes sandstone rubble with red Dumfriesshire sandstone ashlar dressings. Base course to tower only. Cusped, stone mullioned lights within chamfered openings to nave, tower, and elsewhere. Kneelered gables.

TOWER: timber-boarded door with decorative strap hinges in chamfered pointed-arch surround to S. Small rectangular lights at 2nd stage to E, S, and W elevations. Windows at 3rd stage to all elevations. Cornice with floral brackets and gargoyles at corners below roll-moulded ashlar parapet. Lead covered belfry with lucarned concave-arched roof, crocketted at corners; polygonal lantern; weather-cock.

N ELEVATION: transept forming porch, 5th bay from left; 2-leaf pointed-arch timber boarded door with decorative strap hinges within chamfered, pointed double arch. Cruciform light to gable apex above.

E ELEVATION (INCLUDING CORRIDOR AND CHURCH HALL): 5 staggered sections (not including tower). Chancel to right with depressed arch tripartite traceried window; single window to right return. Recessed wing containing Lady Chapel flanking to left with tripartite window and window to left return. Recessed corridor to centre. Advanced piend-roofed section to outer left with 2 windows.

W ELEVATION: 4-light Tudor-arched hoodmoulded window with perpendicular tracery.

S ELEVATION: advanced transept to centre with trefoil window in triangular surround to gable and single windows to returns; windows flanking to left and right. Advanced section to outer right with hoodmoulded, pointed arch window; lean-to annex and shouldered polygonal stack to W return.

Small-pane leaded windows. Red tile roof with red ridge-tiles. Ashlar coped skews. Cast-iron down pipes with decorative hoppers and wall brackets.

INTERIOR: 7-bay nave (see Notes) with Ailsa Craig granite floor and king-post and arch-brace roof with stencilled decoration. Timber panelled to dado throughout. Large stained glass window to W wall of nave depicting King David I and other church builders, dedicated to Sir Oliver and Lady Riddell of Craiglockhart (1923). 2 bipartite stained glass windows in N wall dedicated to Rev Xabier Peel Massey and Lindsay Auldjo Jamieson. Later transepts through chamfered middle-pointed arches to N and S. Timber screen to lobby in N transept with 2-leaf timber panelled glazed door. Baptistry in S transept with small stained glass window; octagonal stone font carved with apostolic beasts, coats of arms and baptismal scenes. Carved dedication at the bottom: TO THE GLORY OF GOD GIVEN TO ST CUTHBERTS COLINTON BY LADY RIDDEL OF CRAIGLOCHART, 1909. Highly decorative timber perpendicular font cover with crocketted finials, carved tracery and gilt decoration, surmounted by nesting pelican. Chamfered, roll moulded 4-centred chancel arch to E of nave; carved oak chancel screen with gilt and painted decoration inscribed CHRISTUS SEMEL PRO PERRATIS NOSTRIS MORTUUS EST. Wagon-roofed ceiling to chancel with stencilled decoration. Carved oak pulpit with painted and gilt decoration. Painted carved and gilt organ case. Carved timber choir stalls with wrought-iron brackets. Painted triptych reredos with gilt filleted timber frame. 3-light stained glass window above altar; stained glass window to St Cuthbert in N wall of chancel. Depressed arch with decorative carved screen in S wall of chancel to Lady Chapel. Tripartite stained glass window in Lady Chapel depicting Our Lady and SS Cuthbert and George. 4-centred arch with carved and gilt screen to S Aisle. S Aisle joined to nave by two chamfered 4-centred arches. Pointed arch ribbed roof to S Aisle with stencilled decoration. All pews in nave between chancel and transepts with differently carved ends. Carved oak collection box. Eagle lectern. Pair of Arts and Crafts carved timber altar rails with kneeling angels. Carved timber credence table.

CHURCH HALL AND CORRIDOR: A Lorne Campbell, 1925. 2-bay corridor with timber boarded door to left and window to right. 5-bay, single storey hall in same stone as church. Chamfered bipartite leaded border-glazed lights with stone mullions. Advanced porch to outer right of N elevation; 2-leaf timber boarded door within chamfered middle-pointed arch; windows to returns. Large arched window to W elevation, divided in centre by buttress; tripartite to each side with stone mullions and cusped lights. Red tile roof; ashlar coped skews.

BOUNDARY WALL, GATEPIERS AND LAMP POST: low ashlar-coped boundary wall. 2 pairs of coped ashlar gate piers with gothic detailing. Victorian gothic street lamp to N of church.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such, with beautifully detailed interior. The site of the church was given by R A McFie for the nominal feu duty of one peppercorn, and the church was built 1889 with numerous additions. The lead belfry was built by Anderson in 1894, replacing an intended broach spire. The South aisle and Lady Chapel were also added in 1894, and the original king post structure of the roof was supplemented with arch braces. Most of the furnishings were fitted in 1897 with a generous donation from Sir Oliver Riddel of Craiglockhart. At the same time the church was fully painted in a diaper pattern of Anderson's design by Powell of Lincoln and with figures of angels by Phoebe Traquair (see Buildings of Scotland for full details). The walls were covered in cream paint in 1939, but the stencilled ceiling decoration remains. The Church hall and link corridor were added in 1925 by A Lorne Campbell. In 1934 the nave was extended 3 bays to the west by H.O. Tarbolton and Matthew M Ochterlony, the first bay extending to form the N and S transepts which hold the porch and baptistry. The belfry is in a style that originated in Holland and was popular in seventeenth century Scotland. The most well-known example of this type was the old spire at the Tron (destroyed by fire in 1824, but well-known in Anderson's time through old prints). A surviving example is to be found at St Ninian's Manse in Leith. Anderson's use of this type of spire is a manifestation of his interest in reviving old forms of Scottish architecture. Anderson was a member of the congregation and donated considerable sums of money towards the building of the church.

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