Description

J Jeffrey Waddell, 1924-6, to plans by P Macgregor Chalmers, 1921. Cruciform-plan aisled Scots-Gothic church with tall, 3-stage square-plan tower with octagonal stone spire to NW corner and polygonal apse to E. Adjoining later (1910-11) single-storey gabled hall to E with 2007 extension. Squared and coursed stugged sandstone with ashlar margins. Angle buttresses, hoodmoulding, string courses to tower. 3-light geometric-tracery windows, some round-arched, with quatrefoils, set in deep chamfered openings.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: battlemented tower with Gothic-arched entrance doorway to N face with recessed 2-leaf timber and leaded glass entrance doors with multi-pane fanlight above. Paired tall belfry openings to 3rd stage. Stone water spouts and corner pinnacles. Recessed spire with small stone studs.

Predominantly geometric-tracery style windows with small square lead panes. Some stained glass. Green graded slates. Raised skews.

INTERIOR: fine, largely unaltered ashlar interior. 6-bay pointed-arch nave. Canted timber ceiling. Red-tiled floor. Clerestory windows. Oak-panelled choir and sanctuary. Timber pews. Decoratively carved, ensuite pulpit, communion table and choir stalls. Some fine early and mid 20th century stained glass (see Notes).

BOUNDARY WALL AND GATEPIERS: low, coped, squared and stugged sandstone wall to N. 2 pairs of tapered, ashlar gatepiers with base course and gabled caps and carved trefoil roundels.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. St David's Memorial Park Church is a prominent well-detailed church with a tall, decorative steeple which contributes much to the streetscape of the area. The unified interior decorative scheme with its ashlar arcade is of some quality and interest and is particularly characteristic of P Macgregor Chalmers' interiors. The church was built to a design of P Macgregor Chalmers, one of Scotland's foremost church architects of the period. The stained glass windows add significantly to the interest of the church. The quality stained glass includes works by William Glasby, an English artist whose stained glass can be found throughout the world and 2 windows by the renowned Gordon Webster (1908-1987) who was based in Glasgow and whose work can be found in many Scottish churches.

The church was built to replace an earlier 1845 church on the same site, which had become too small for the growing population of Kirkintilloch. In 1919, the then minister, Rev High Reyburn announced the gift of a new church from one of the parishioners in memory of her parents. The church was known then as St David's United Free Church of Scotland. In 1929 it became St David's Memorial Church and then St David's Memorial Park Church with the uniting of 2 local congregations in 1991.

John Jeffrey Waddell (1876-1941) practised in Glasgow and did much work for the Church of Scotland. He was the nephew of Peter Macgregor Chalmers (?1859-1922), whose practice almost exclusively dealt with church work. Waddell took over the practice after the death of his uncle.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77780595

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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