Description

John F Matthew (of Lorimer and Matthew), 1936. Cruciform-plan Church of Scotland extension church with adjoining hall to NE; Scottish Arts and Crafts tradition. Tower to re-entrant between chancel and N transept with linking section to church hall adjoining to N; whole complex forms overall Z-plan. Coursed snecked and rake-jointed Craigmillar sandstone rubble of pinkish hue with contrasting rockfaced and tooled ashlar dressings. Projecting base course to most parts; splayed rockfaced long and short dressings to openings; projecting stone sills; tooled ashlar coping to eaves and gable ends.

NAVE: W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: central round-arched entrance with deep splayed reveals; 2-leaf panelled timber door; small flanking windows; large oculus above; shouldered gable with narrow light at apex. N ELEVATION: 5-bay; doorway to outer right; round-arched windows in remaining bays. S ELEVATION: doorway to outer left; lean-to porch with swept roof in bay to outer right; round-arched windows in central 3 bays.

TRANSEPTS: shouldered gables with narrow light at apex. Round-arched window to S gable end; large oculus to N gable end; each has round-arched window to right return.

APSE: shouldered gable to E with narrow light at apex; round-arched window below. Canted sides with wall stepped up from eaves to E; smaller round-arched window to each. Corner built out at S re-entrant with round-arched window. Tower to N re-entrant.

TOWER: 2 stages; single round-arched louvred window to each face of upper stage; tooled ashlar cornice with coping and moulded bracket to each side. Adjoins single storey LINKING SECTION to N; entrance with 2 windows to right to E side; W side is flat-roofed and partially obscured by later stone and timber hall added to E.

HALL: entrance porch to right of S elevation; swept gable; tapered butresses; narrow light at apex; round-arched entrance with deep splayed reveals; 2-leaf panelled timber door. 3 wide windows to left beneath low eaves. Shouldered gable with narrow light at apex and large oculus below to E elevation. 4 bays to N elevation, adjoining flat roofed linking section with door and window to right.

Multi-pane leaded windows throughout; some with pivot-opening sections. Grey slate roofs; cast iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: open hall nave with hexagonal barrel-vaulted roof entirely faced with timber: ash panels set into cedar surrounds (studded with two rows of circular lights); roofing of chancel and transepts is similar but tripartite. Timber dado to all except chancel. Organ with timber fretwork sides to corner of chancel and N transept. Loft formed above porch to W end; 2 double-leaf timber panelled doors with metal grille insets beneath; similar doors to transepts. Single stained glass window of cross (replacement) to E end. Oak panel behind plain oak communion table; contemporary font and pulpit (all oak). Polished birch flooring. High proportion of original fixtures and fittings survive throughout the building; including fitted cupboards in choir and session rooms.

CHURCHYARD: enclosed by low coped coursed rubble wall surmounted by replacement railings.

WORLD WAR I MEMORIAL TO E OF CHURCH: stone obelisk in 3 stages mounted on rock-faced base course; inscription on polished face to E with carved sword within cross above.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. Well-constructed free Scottish Arts and Crafts building, remarkably similar to Leslie Graham Thomson's slightly later extension church at Fairmilehead (1938). WC of merit with entire set of original fittings including paper holder and door with attached mirror. These now moved to City of Edinburgh Museums, Spring 1998.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17811187

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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