Description

A Murray Hardie, 1939-1942. Modern, harled church with traditional details; crowstepped bell tower; dormer windows; flying buttresses; deep sloping green slate roof. Long and short concrete surrounds to all but dormer and N transept windows; concrete base course.

W (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: advanced 4 staged tower; recessed, arched 2-leaf door; cross inscribed keystone. Single window to 2nd stage. 4th stage lancet window; flanking rectangular timber louvred openings. Bays flank entrance; single window in each bay; long and short concrete quoins.

N ELEVATION: window at 3rd stage of tower; rectangular window with flanking timber louvred openings at 4th stage. 3 nave windows; 4 stepped flying buttresses. 3 lancet windows in N transept gable; 1 in right return. 2 gabled dormers wholly in roof; 2 lancet windows with cills to each dormer. Irregular fenestration to extension which connects to hall.

E ELEVATION: advanced 5 sided apse; 3 stained glass lancet windows. Lancet window with flanking timber louvred rectangular openings at 4th stage of tower.

S ELEVATION: 4 windows; 6 stepped flying buttresses. 3 gabled dormers wholly in roof; 2 lancet windows with cills to each dormer. Window at 3rd stage of tower; 4th stage window with flanking timber louvred rectangular openings. Single storey harled building connects church to hall.

Deep sloping green slated roof with shoulders to entrance. Overhanging eaves. Red clay ridge; raised skews to E gable and N transept gables with skewputts. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: timber internal porch; plain entrance with red sandstone walls, central door and door to right lead into church. Stone floor; bare sandstone lower walls; painted white above. Bare stone wall to W. Arcade to N and S; sandstone piers support recessed arches; stone corbel to far W arches on W wall. Open timber roof construction; tie beam truss with queen posts and arched braces. Tiered stone steps to North aisle. Steps up to apse, arched roof above altar; pulpits to right and left; font and communion table. Plaque to commemorate laying of the first foundation stone in 1939 in apse. 3 coloured glass windows in apse. Bronze plaque in memory of Rev Alex Hardie, first minister of Newtongrange parish.

CHURCH HALL: 1935. Rectangular hall to rear of church; rough harl render; concrete window cills, base course at entrance and coped gables.

S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: advanced porch; arched doorway; concrete surrounds; 2-leaf door. Coped gablehead to porch; skewputts; square finial. Flanking flat-roofed bays; single window at each bay. Ventilation slit with concrete dressings in S gable apex behind porch; kneelered gable. Door in flat-roofed extension to far right; projecting surround to door tapers to ground; concrete coping to wall head.

W ELEVATION: regularly placed pilasters and windows; corbelled eaves course.

N ELEVATION: piend vestry extension projects from hall N gable to transept; door and irregular fenestration. Rectangular opening in gable apex; part timbered and louvred.

E ELEVATION: regularly placed pilasters and truncated windows; corbelled eaves course; square rendered chimney projecting from wall. Flat-roofed addition; regular fenestration; 2 right bays recessed; door in right return; steps at far right lead to basement.

Green slate roof; clay ridge tiles. Central louvred octagonal ventilator; ogee roof; spike and ball finial.

INTERIOR: large hall painted green; arched roof; timber cornice; stage to N; timber floor.

BOUNDARY WALL AND RAILINGS: low concrete plinth (brick to N), intermittently raised, supporting plain cast-iron railings. Taller brick wall to SE and E with rounded concrete coping.

Statement of Interest

Alec Hardie was the son of Reverend Hardie, the first minister of the parish who preached at the church on Newbattle Road (now the Masonic Hall). The church hall was in fact the church, built as a hall church under the Church Extension Scheme for the growing congregation which moved from Newbattle Road to Newtongrange. The church was built 1939 and opened in 1942. Due to subsidence problems which continue to affect the buildings, the flying buttresses were added in 1945. There are no fixed pews in the church, only free standing wooden chairs.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77777280

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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