Description

Alexander Cullen, circa 1900. Gable ended, galleried Latin-cross plan stylised gothic church with 3-stage square-plan tower to outer right and 2-storey stair projection to outer left. Bull-faced cream sandstone ashlar with polished dressings. Base course; string course below main gable window; string course below battlements to stair projection. Pointed-arched openings; chamfered and moulded reveals; hoodmoulds; stepped and gabletted angle buttresses. Modern, rectangular-plan church hall sited to right (SE) of church with linking section from E transept.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: central, wide moulded doorpiece with pointed-arch spanning 2 flat ogee-arched doorways; blind geometric tracery to tympanum; 2 pairs of 2-leaf timber panelled doors; 2 small deep-set windows flanking; 5-light curvilinear traceried window with narrow lights flanking to gable above; deep-set circular light to gable apex. 2 narrow windows, set high to stair projection to left; coped battlements.

TOWER: diagonal stepped angle buttresses; string courses dividing stages; chamfered pointed-arched openings with hoodmoulds. Square-headed window at 1st stage; single plate traceried window at 2nd stage with inscribed panel above, ?MEMORIAL STONE LAID BY MJCM STEVEN ESQ, 1899?; paired louvered openings at 3rd stage; battlemented parapet.

N (SIDE) ELEVATION: 6-bay, grouped 3-1-1-1. Advanced gabled transept to centre with 3-light traceried window. Window, divided by buttresses in each bay to left. Recessed, pointed-arched doorway below battlemented parapet in bay to right of centre; 2-leaf timber panelled door with ?traceried? fanlight. 3-light window to gabled vestry bay to outer right.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: 5-bay, grouped 1-3-1. Window, divided by buttresses in each bay to centre. Window, set high, in each side of canted stair projection to right; window at ground to right. Window to advance gabled transept bay to outer left.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: regularly fenestrated, single storey pitched vestry spanning rear of church; gables with blind slits to gableheads of main church behind.

Fixed, leaded stained glass windows, some with hopper mechanisms. Green slate roof with red clay ridge; slate to vestry addition. Ashlar skews to gables; cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: hammer-beam roof; carved trefoil-headed struts; herringbone boarded panels between; carved timber blind arcaded gallery to E end on columnar supports; timber panelling carved as blind arcade along E wall below with 2, evenly disposed 2-leaf timber panelled and stained glass doors; barleysugar iron banisters and timber handrail to stone flight to gallery; boarded dado; pointed chancel arch with 2-arches flanking to E end; wide pointed arches to shallow transepts to N and S; carved timber organ screen in 2 sections to E end: blind arcade below with floreate carved panels above; ogee-arched, gothic detailed, pipe frame above; open timber screen defining chancel; open arcaded and highly carved communion table; blind arcaded pulpit and minister?s chair; timber pews with boarded backs.

GATEPIERS AND BOUNDARY WALLS: octagonal-plan sandstone ashlar piers with square-headed motif to stepped pyramidal cap; tapered hexagonal lamp on sinuous open supports above (lamp to right missing); low bull-faced sandstone walls with curved ashlar cope; wrought-iron railings and gates.

Statement of Interest

An ecclesiastical building in use as such. In 1900 the Church in Larkhall came under the auspices of the United Free Church of Scotland, and Trinity was given the U F suffix at this time. It was also moved to its present site and opened on 22nd June 1901 at a cost of ?7512 12s 1d. In 1928 electricity was introduced to the church and manse and in 1929 Trinity moved back to the Union of the Church of Scotland. Alexander Cullen was predominantly a designer of municipal buildings producing the Hamilton Municipal Buildings, 1906-14. He worked prolifically in the area and commanded a variety of architectural styles, sticking here to the appropriate ecclesiastical gothic, whilst dabbling with the English Tudor at Rosebank.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17848641

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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