Description

1866, church and vestry. Church hall, 1899. 5-bay, rectangular-plan church. Round-headed upper storey windows. Harled. Rear hall and former vestry; exposed flagstone; harled in places.

NE (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: round-headed doorway; flanking tall, round-headed windows. Blocked round-headed window centred above door.

SE ELEVATION: door to far right; fanlight. 4 ground floor windows evenly spaced to left. 5 round-headed windows centred above. 3-bay, single storey linking wing (former vestry) set back to left. Door to right; fanlight above; window to left; door to far left. Advanced 2-bay church hall to far left; 2 windows. Lean-to porch to left; door.

SW ELEVATION: SW gable of church partially obscured by later wing; 2 blocked round-headed windows to left and right at upper level. Small, central circular window above blocked windows. 3 windows to church hall; lean-to porch to right.

NW ELEVATION: 2 windows to church hall gable wall. Central stone plaque above windows inscribed; 'The Reid Memorial Hall 1899'. Linking wing set back to left; window to left; window (former door) to far left. Church advanced to left; door to far left; fanlight. 4 ground floor windows evenly spaced to right of door. 5 round-headed windows centred above.

12-pane timber ground floor windows to church; tilting single panes for ventilation. Intersecting astragals to round-headed windows. 12-pane timber sash and case window to linking wing; 4-pane and 8-pane timber sash and case windows to hall. Timber boarded doors; panelled 2-leaf door to NE. Pitched, Caithness slate roofs; raised, flat skews. Finial to NE church gable apex. Coped ridge stack to linking wing. Corniced stack base to SE hall gable apex; pitched bellcote to NW hall gable apex; open to NW and SE; single bell.

INTERIOR: flight of stairs to left and right of entrance (NE) door. Orange painted wainscoting to porch. Sloping porch ceiling (to accommodate tiered pews above). Timber panelled door to left and right lead into nave. Yellow and green interior to church; yellow painted timber wainscoting; yellow painted pews and walls; green painted surrounds to windows; green painted cornicing and beams. Fixed timber box pews to centre and sides. Beaded detail to front pews. Central timber pulpit to SW wall; steps to left and right lead up to pulpit; decorative metal balustrades; timber ball finials to out newel post. Decorative panelling to front of pulpit and pointed-arched sounding board. Flanking timber panelled doors to pulpit; flanking round-arched windows above; intersecting tracery. Timber organ in front of pulpit. Gallery to NW, NE and SE; timber panelled frontage; clock to NE. Gallery supported by chamfered, timber piers. Window to rear of gallery to NE. Quatrefoil roundels in ceiling. Simple hall interior; timber floor; orange painted wainscoting along walls and window splays; timber pews; coved ceiling.

GARDEN WALL

Exposed rubble wall extends SW-wards from church hall porch; enclosing large garden on 3 sides.

Statement of Interest

Depicted as a United Presbyterian Church on the circa 1882 Map; Westray United Free Church was built to replace the Sheepie Kirk which had been Westray's first United Presbyterian Church. The manse was built in 1863 and the church was built nearby soon afterwards. The church could accommodate up to 500 people and cost ?800 to build (Westray's Kirks pamphlet). The church hall was built and dedicated to the memory of the first minister, Rev George Reid. The church hall backs onto the former garden walls of the manse. The interior of the church is intact; complete with 2 organs and light fittings, however, lack of use and water ingress leaves the church in a poor condition. The church hall to the rear is currently used for all church services (2000).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77775908

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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