Description

1855; hall and vestry additions G M MacLintock, 1923; church hall lowered later 20th century. Symmetrical 3- by 3-bay stripped Gothic style Baptist church with large rose window centred in 'nave and aisles' gable to E; additional pitched hall at rear. Squared and snecked stugged yellow sandstone to E; polished sandstone dressings. Polished plinth; full-height roll-moulded pointed-arch panel centred beneath gable; advanced gabled entrance; slightly droved surrounds to pointed-arched openings at ground. Harl-pointed random rubble sandstone to sides and rear. Tooled quoins; tooled long and short rubble surrounds to painted bipartite openings (chamfered stone mullions). Harled hall and linking wing at rear.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: steps to gabled doorpiece centred at ground comprising 2-leaf boarded timber door set in roll-moulded, shouldered- arch surround; curvilinear cast-iron fittings; pointed-arch architraved chamfered reveals, pointed-arch hoodmould beneath apex; curvilinear cast-iron finials to centre, right and left. Leaded slits at ground flanking entrance; single windows at ground in bays to outer left and right. 8-light rose-window aligned above entrance; foliate stops to hoodmould centred beneath apex; cast-iron circular finial.

N AND S (SIDE) ELEVATIONS: 3-bay with later additions to W. Bipartite windows at ground in all 3 bays; 4 gabled lucarnes equally disposed above. Bipartite dormer breaking eaves in bays to outer left and right respectively; slate-hung piends; curvilinear cast-iron finials; decorative cast-iron ridge brattishing flanking E gable. Harled additions to W.

Stained windows to E; opaque-glazed lower, stained-glass upper windows to sides; 4-pane timber sash and case openings to additional linking wing; tripartite rooflights set in rear hall. Graded grey slate roof; raised stone skews; coped apex stack to W; circular cans; corniced apex stacks to rear hall; circular cans.

INTERIOR: mosaic-tiled vestibule floor; timber skirting board; plaster cornice; office to left; gallery stair to right. Main hall lowered later 20th century; timber panelled doors; boarded timber dado panelling; timber pews; cast-iron columns supporting timber gallery to E (now blocked). Panelled timber pulpit to W; gableted minister's chair; enclosing balustrade comprising stop-chamfered timber newels, arcaded cast-iron uprights, timber handrail. Additional hall to rear; hammerbeam roof; timber dado panelling; 2-leaf timber panelled door.

BOUNDARY WALL, GATEPIERS AND RAILINGS: low coped rubble wall to Ardbeg Road. Stop-chamfered whitewashed piers to outer left and right; pyramidal caps; decorative cast-iron railings set between.

Statement of Interest

With its rose window, gabled and finialed entrance, cast-iron brattishing, cast-iron columns supporting the now blocked gallery and an impressive pulpit, Ardbeg Church retains architectural interest despite the lowering of its nave.

Rothesay is one of Scotland's premier seaside resorts, developed primarily during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and incorporates an earlier medieval settlement. The town retains a wide range of buildings characteristic of its development as a high status 19th century holiday resort, including a range of fine villas, a Victorian pier and promenade.

The history and development of Rothesay is defined by two major phases. The development of the medieval town, centred on Rothesay Castle, and the later 19th and early 20th century development of the town as a seaside resort. Buildings from this later development, reflect the wealth of the town during its heyday as a tourist destination, and include a range of domestic and commercial architecture of a scale sometimes found in larger burghs. Both the 19th and early 20th century growth of the town, with a particular flourish during the inter-war period, included areas of reclaimed foreshore, particularly along the coast to the east of the town and around the pier and pleasure gardens.

(List description revised as part of Rothesay listing review 2010-11).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17775151

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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