St Andrew's Episcopal Church, High Street, Fort William, Fort William, Highland

Description

Alexander Ross, Inverness, 1880. Gothic, nave, chancel,

transept (used as vestry) to south opposite tower at north;

cruciform plan, orientated east-west.

All bullfaced, sneck coursed red Abriachan granite with

tooled and polished ashlar contrasting sandstone dressings.

Gabled porch projects at NW; shouldered lintel, flanking

polished granite nook shafts with stiff leaf capital,

pointed-headed tympanum with figure of St. Andrew and

spandrels carved with thistles and roses.

Low rectangular baptistry on west gable with 3 squat

pointed-headed windows with geometric tracery; similar window

in N gable; angle buttresses; wallhead encircled by low

carved coped balustrade. Large pointed-headed windows in east

(3-light) and west (4-light) gables, also with geometric

tracery. Smaller pointed-headed traceried windows in 4-bay

flanks. Tall, 3-storey square tower rising to spire at NE

with projecting stair turret in east elevation. Occuli in

each face of lower stage, paired round-headed lancets in 2nd

stage, 3rd stage off-set with gabletted angle pinnacles and

with centre louvred windows under gablets in each face

clasping base of slender, ashlar facetted spire rising to

ball finial and weathervane apex, with carved quatrefoil

detailing to annulets, and ring of diminutive lucarnes. Rear

SE vestry with dated lintel and roll moulding to architraves.

All original rhones and down-water goods; flat skews; simple

curved skewputts; slate roofs.

Interior; richly detailed interior in High Gothic manner, all

of considerable quality.

Baptistry entered through traceried screen; vaulted ceiling

with bosses. Centre white Caen stone font with ornate carved

wooden canopy (Harry Hems). Rich mosaic floor (Salviati);

stained glass windows.

Nave; simple bench pews; good sequence of stained glass with

New Testament theme. Pulpit at NE angle of nave; white Caen

stone supported on arches with polished marble columns and

stiff leaf capitals, linking with similarly detailed stair

balustrade.

Chancel; brass eagle lectern; carved oak choir stalls with

"poppy head" pew ends (Harry Hems).

Sanctuary; brass altar rail; ornate mural sedilia in south

and similarly detailed Bishop's throne and aumbry in north

wall. Arcaded reredos across east wall, with 3 Gothic cusped

arches each side of altar framing low relief and centre

crocketted gablet with mosaic Crucifixion (Salviati)

Doors; all Harry Hems. Entrance door in NW porch; double door

with 6 carved panels on outer face representing Good Shepherd

and similar patterns in chequered design to inner face. SW

door (leading to Baptistry); no exterior carving but paired pointed-headed-doors decorated with complex decorative

wrought-iron hinges of intricate design; inner faces carved

with geometric tracery.

Vestry door (at SE); exterior face with "linen fold"

panelling and wrought-iron hinges in stylised floral pattern. Chancel-vestry door; 3 panel door with carvings illustrating

St Columba.

Burial Ground; church surrounded by walled burial ground.

Bullfaced red granite walling with contrasting tooled

sandstone ashlar cope, interspersed at north (High Street

front) with lengths of ornate cast-iron spearhead railings on

low coped retaining wall.

Lych gate; bracketted timber lych gate entrance; with

flanking bench seats and pair wooden gates; red tiled

jerkin-headed roof with decorative tiled ridge and end

finials.

Bank Street entrance; gabletted arch with pointed-headed

entrance in west wall, surmounted by bellcote-like

decoration.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such.

Built on site of former Rosse Episcopal Chapel, 1817-76.

Present church built largely through generosity of Mr George

Baynton Davey of Spean Bridge. Harry Hems was a gifted late

19th century ecclesiastical woodcarver of Exeter, Devon.

External Links

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