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Summary

Description

William Gardner Rowan, 1900-1. Arts and Crafts, like an English village church. Squat tower and slated broach spire at west front with half-timbered porch facing south, twin-gabled low transept at opposite end of long flank wall. Coursed, squared rubble, ashlar dressings, deep-eaved slate roofs. Decorative iron-railed boundary.

The interior was subdivided in the late 1980s for use as a multi-purpose worship centre and is now in use as the Al Tawheed Kurdish Community and Education Centre (2023).

Statement of Special Interest

St Margaret's Church is of special architectural interest for the quality of its design, which combines elements of the English Arts and Crafts style with those of traditional Scottish architecture. Characteristic features evident at St Margaret's include the squat tower and broached spire, the half-timbered porch, the swept roofs and overhanging eaves, and the use of traditional materials such as timber, slate and local red sandstone.

The footprint of the building has remained unchanged, but the internal layout and fabric was partially altered in the later 20th century to accommodate its conversion into a multi-use church centre. The treatment of the interior is characteristically plain with open timber roofs and dark wood panelling, an arcaded nave, painted rendered walls and ashlar dressings. This modest treatment is typical of its date and style. The interior retains much of its early character despite these later changes. Notable decorative features include the timber pulpit with sandstone base, heraldic shields to the roof timbers, and a carved timber rood screen (now incorporated into the later subdivisions but remains clearly visible).

Churches that date from the early 20^th century are a prolific building type that can be found across Scotland, but those built using English forms of the Arts and Crafts movement, are relatively rare. The style is more commonly associated with domestic buildings and interiors but was often favoured by Anglican dominations. St Margaret's is of special historic interest as an early example of a style of church architecture that is not commonly found in Scotland.

St Margaret's Church has been altered but it remains of special interest as a relatively rare and early example of an English Arts and Crafts style church that retains much of its plan form, detailing and historic character.

Listed building record updated in 2023.

References

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