Description

J Fraser Sim, 1893-94. Gothic church, rectangular plan complex with church hall by Alexander Shairp of 1892 to SW. 5-bays with tower at E corner. Semi-octagonal stair tower at N corner, slit and circular windows with hood moulds. Grey bull-faced, squared and snecked rubble with yellow ashlar dressings and details. Battered base course, string courses at ground and first floor cill levels, additional string course on towers, cornice at eaves. W wall rendered, with buttresses.

E (ARGYLL SQUARE) ELEVATION: slightly projecting triangular entrance porch, crocket at apex, pointed arch doorway of double order, 2-leaf timber door with decorative ironmongery, hoodmould over with floral stops. E window, triple lancet with trefoil tracery and hoodmoulds over. Miniature triple lancet in gable. Carved Celtic cross at apex. Small blind-arcaded parapet with monogram. Ashlar shaft with pyramidal pinnacle at N corner of gable.

S (ALBANY STREET) ELEVATION: 4-bay nave, double lancets with buttresses between. Tower at E end, projecting transept gable at west end with geometric window supporting circlet, hoodmould over, miniature triple lancet above. Hoodmoulds of nave windows extended into string course.

TOWER: 2-stage. Lower stage with plaque and bipartite window in pointed arch recess with hoodmould over. Upper stage, with lancets at 1st floor level, paired slit windows at belfry. Eaves course.

CHURCH HALL: rectangular plan, connected to nave by single storey porch with arched doorway, tripartite window and pitched roof. South gable wall, triple lancet window with hoodmould above base course. W elevation 5 bays with lancets. Grey slated roof with terracotta ridges. Pyramidal grey-slated roof to tower. Zinc ventilators at hall ridge.

INTERIOR: stripped of all fittings. Entrance steps and gatepiers with clover motif on caps at E front.

Statement of Interest

Dean of Guild Court plans record an application by J Fraser Sim for a Church for the Trustees of the Free English Church, dated 1887, and an application by Alexander Shairp for a Hall for the Deacons Court of the Argyll Square Free Church dated 1892. It was built with a contribution of ?1000 from Robert MacFie of Airds. The now stripped interior was redecorated in the 1930s to designs by Sir Y D Cameron, artist. Window in W wall, showing a St Columba episode, was gifted by Alexander MacKay of Glencruitten. Spire removed after 1976 and present pyramidal roof instated.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56644677

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

• 
  For the Record
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)