Description

Possibly Robert Paterson, 1866. Hall extension, 1906. Further extensions, 1969-70. Italian gothic church with spire and adjoining hall. Cream sandstone, coursed to principal elevation, with ashlar dressings and contrasting red sandstone banding (restrained polychromy). Base course, chamfered arrises; 4-stage spire to E angle.

SE ELEVATION AND SPIRE: gabled, 3-bay elevation with tower rising as right bay. Pointed arch door at centre with banded voussoirs and 2-leaf door, stepped string course to cill of 3-light geometric traceried pointed arch window above, again with banded voussoirs, both opening with band courses extending from imposts. Bay to left with diminutive row of 3 pointed arch triangular openings at ground, and lancet window above. Bay to right with spire, large pointed arch triangular window at 1st stage with geometric tracery, rising to slightly recessed 2nd and 3rd stages with narrow lights and further row of 3 pointed arch triangular lights in respective stages; 4th stage as splay-footed stone spire with corner pinnacles and gabled, louvred lucarnes.

NE ELEVATION: 6-bay with tower in outer left bay, remaining bays with square-headed windows to ground and pointed arch windows lighting gallery. Hall adjoining to right.

SW ELEVATION: windows as NE elevation, minus hall interrupting ground. NW ELEVATION: 2 tall lancets, now blocked.

HALL: en suite single storey gabled hall to NE, linked to church, made L-plan by later additions. Gable to Chapwell Street with 4-bay pointed arch arcade at ground and oculus above, both with banded voussoirs. Fixed timber and leaded diamond-pane glazing, some stained glass (see Interior). Grey slates. Diminutive gabled ventilators. Tie plates to wallhead.

INTERIOR: galleried with tiered pulpit and organ case behind (causing blocking of lancet windows). Cast-iron columns supporting gallery with panelled and fretted timber front. Stained glass memorial windows; Biggam, 1929; Padkin, 1932; Kelso, 1946; and Hogarth, circa 1950.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: rubble boundary walls with saddleback coping and iron railings to front, semi-circular coping to taller walls to sides. Square ashlar gatepiers with moulded coping and 2-leaf gate.

Statement of Interest

Built as the West United Presbyterian Church, it was renamed the Erskine United Free Church in 1900 on merger with the neighbouring UF congregation, and in 1929, when the UF Church merged with the Church of Scotland, changed its name againto the Erskine Church. It is now the New Trinity Church. The tentative attribution to Paterson derives from the broad similarities between this and hisknown United Presbyterian work, such as the Salisbury Church, Causewayside, Edinburgh of 1862.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77773195

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

• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)