Documents

There are no additional online documents for this record.

Summary

Description

Circa 1843 with later additions. 2-storey, 3-bay, symmetrical severe classical church; later single storey halls adjoining to rear. Polished cream sandstone ashlar to principal elevation; rubble to sides; coursed rubble to hall at rear. Base course; cill course to 1st floor windows; corniced architraves to windows in outer bays; giant order pilaster quoins; giant order pilasters and pediment to advanced, central bay; deep cornice and parapet.

BAPTIST CHURCH: S (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: central doorway; 2-leaf, panelled door; plate glass fanlight; engaged, square-section columns and cornice to doorpiece. Single window to 1st floor above; architrave with bracketed pediment; single, blind windows to outer ground floor bays; single windows above.

E AND W ELEVATIONS: 4-bay; bays to S correspond with principal elevation in materials and details with blind windows to both floors to E elevation and modern door to ground, blind window to 1st floor to W elevation. Single windows in 3 remaining bays to ground and 1st floor.

HALL: single storey hall, vestry, kitchen and WCs; doorways projecting from rear of church to E and W and facing S; further doorway to main hall to E elevation; panelled door; 4-pane fanlight.

12-pane, timber, sash and case windows to S elevation and hall; 3-pane, leaded windows to E and W elevations. Flat roof to church; grey slate piended roof to hall.

INTERIOR: recast 1888; simple hall with gallery to S; pulpit, panelling, pews and additional seating all of carved pine. CHANCEL AREA: raised platform with doors flanking to right and left; central pulpit and lectern; panelling to wall behind with round-arched panel behind pulpit; screens to sides of platform with carved balustrades; simple classical details throughout. Tiled baptismal font beneath moveable seating in front of chancel area. GALLERY: to rear of church (formerly to sides and rear) supported by slender stylised columns at ground; doors flanking to left and right leading to stone staircases to entrance hall; meeting room behind gallery above entrance hall. Square coffered ceiling.

Statement of Special Interest

Originally built as a Baptist church by the Misses Aspinal, the building was quickly sold to the United Presbyterian Church due to a shortage of members. In 1864 the Baptists of the Tabernacle Church in Leith Walk repurchased the Church and the halls for a total cost of ?1700. In 1888, during the ministry of William Tulloch, the interior was extensively altered; most significantly by the removal of the gallery from the sides of the Church.

References

Bibliography

About Listed Buildings

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

Find out more about listing and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.