Description

James S Johnston, 1933. Modern symmetrically-fronted church on traditional lines with Scandinavian details with rectangular-planned nave to rear and separate church hall to N. Red brick dressings and banding with patterned painted render. Back base course to cill course of ground floor windows; lintel course to ground floor windows.

S (MOIRA TERRACE, PORTOBELLO ROAD) ELEVATION: squareplan tower to centre with window to each of 3 stages. Plaque carved with: "To the Glory of God by Faith in the Freedom of the Service of Jesus Christ 1933", below 1st stage (ground floor) window. Brick to cill course of 2nd stage window; brick panel above 2nd stage; brick corner pilasters to just less than full-height; brick coping. N elevation of tower adjoining gabled end (with skewputts) of nave. Lean-to single storey flanking bays of porch with quadripartite window brick masonry to lintel height. Advanced brick porches to penultimate bays with banded brick rendered gablehead. 2-leaf 16 square-panelled doors to each porch with original lights above. Blank outer bays with lintel and base courses.

E (KEKEWICH AVENUE) ELEVATION: 6-bay. Advanced gabled projection with bipartite window in bay to outer left, with right half of gable slightly set back. Window to each bay of clerestorey, to nave. Tripartite window to each bay of lean-to aisle range; except full-height flat-roofed engaged stair tower in bay left of centre with 2-storey strip window in slightly advanced panel.

W ELEVATION: mirror image of E elevation except single window to outer left, along with tripartite window and flanking window to right of bay.

Metal 8-pane small-pane windows with top hoppers; multi-paned windows to engaged towers and spire. Modern windows to clerestorey. Grey slate roof.

INTERIOR: (seen 1995) fine interior. Barrel-roof nave with original small-pane lighting; reliefs to each jumping block of roof bands; 2 round reliefs of burning bush and dove of peace; black with cream ceramic tile skirting; stained glass windows to each aisle to end near chancel, dedicated to memory of Jeanie Syer Wilson (W aisle), and to Sergeant John Duncan, Flying Officer AF McKellar and 2nd Officer George MacLeod. Stained glass to rear of nave, flanking double doors to vestibule. Oak dado in chancel. Fine oak altar (with leather top and chrome rim), font, baptismal pew and pulpit of same design.

BOUNDARY WALLS: brick with ashlar moulded coping.

Statement of Interest

In 1929 the United Free Church joined with the Church of Scotland. Some members decided to leave the Windsor Place congregation and form a new, small congregation. They worshipped in the Masonic hall in Portobello until the Wilson Memorial Church was erected. The church design is contemporaneous with the work of Edgar Wood, Manchester, with which it shows sympathies.

Information as supplied by occupier: church hall demolished 2006 and replaced by detached house.

List description updated 2010.

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External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17810547

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.

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