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Summary

Description

Brown & Watt, dated 1893; later additions and alterations. Single storey, 3-bay, rectangular-plan church with gothic detailing. Tooled granite ashlar with finely finished dressings. Ashlar base course; pointed-arched openings with chamfered reveals; string course and dividing band course.

SE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: asymmetrical; gabled central bay, deeply chamfered and moulded doorway to centre of ground floor, hoodmould with carved label stops, 2-leaf boarded timber door reached by granite steps surmounted by simple iron railings, vertically glazed fanlight; bipartite windows with oculus above flanking doorway to left and right. Triple pointed-arched window above doorway, moulded reveals with elongated colonette inset; hoodmould; vesica set in gablehead; stone finial to apex. Gableted buttress flanking central bay to left, delicate finial to apex, datestone reading "AD 1893". Stair bay stepped-down to outer left, deeply chamfered doorway to ground floor, hoodmould with carved label stops, 2-leaf boarded timber door reached by granite steps, vertically glazed fanlight; tall bipartite double window above; wall of outer angle swept-out to enclose convex-shouldered doorway. Square-plan 4-stage engaged tower to bay to right; deeply chamfered doorway to 1st stage, hoodmould with carved label stops, 2-leaf boarded timber door reached by granite steps, vertically glazed fanlight, oculus to right return; pair of small pointed-arched windows to each elevation of 2nd stage surmounted by tall slits; clock faces to all but SW elevation of 3rd stage; paired louvred lancets to each elevation of 4th belfry stage, surmounted by parapet with inset quatrefoil, clasped at angles by octagonal buttresses forming pinnacles, mobile phone masts at angles; octagonal stone spire with roundel and arrowslit openings, iron finial to apex.

NE (ASHLEY PARK DRIVE) ELEVATION: near-symmetrical; 4-bay; flat-arched bipartite windows to each bay, with pointed-arched bipartites above; parapet gableted between bays. Single storey hall with doorway to left and pointed-arched openings to right. 1962 hall addition to outer right, Aberdeen-bond granite with regular openings.

NW ELEVATION: gabled; lower half predominantly obscured by hall additions; rose window above, 3 lancets set in gablehead, stone finial to apex.

SW ELEVATION: asymmetrical; 5-bay; paired windows to each bay; gabled stair bay stepped-up to right, 3 tall slit openings, arched openings set in gablehead, stone finial to apex.

Predominantly stained-glass windows with outer secondary glazing. Grey slate roof with pierced terracotta ridges, iron ventilators to nave ridge. Pointed and flat skews with scrolled skewputts. Wallhead stack to NW, with circular cans. Cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: entrance porch to SE, gothic panelled 2-leaf timber doors to left and right with decorative stained glass upper panes and panels flanking. Tudor-arched aisless nave with gallery to SE. Timber lined at ground floor; panelled timber door; decorative timber pews; timber pulpit to NW, pipe organ and rose window set in heavily moulded Tudor arch behind, colonettes with decorative capitals to reveals, painted walls surrounding arch; gallery to SE supported on simple iron columns, panelled front with cusped arch detail, central portion of gallery stepped-back in shallow Tudor-arch; stairs to left and right, turned timber balusters with gothic detailed newel posts. Boarded and panelled timber roof supported on timber brackets. Simple detailing to halls, boarded below dado, entrance corridor to hall remodelled in late 20th century.

Statement of Special Interest

The congregation of what was known as Holburn Parish was originally based in the city centre. At the time of the disruption (1843) most of the congregation followed Rev. William Mitchell to "a large wooden church" (Gammie) between Justice Mills, Union Glen and the Hardgate. In 1880 the congregation moved again, to a new church at the corner of Justice Mill Lane and Bon Accord Terrace. A few years later Rev. Andrew McQueen was instrumental in the building of what is now known as Holburn West Church (originally built as the Holburn Free Church), commissioned by the Church Extension Committee of the Free Church Presbytery for a cost of ?6000. The church congregation were particularly active, and also built the Mission Hall on Holburn Street.

References

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