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Summary

Description

David Bruce, 1875, with later alterations and additions; converted to housing, 2000. Rectangular-plan buttressed Gothic church with gable front (NE) elevation, 4-stage tower to left (E) angle and square-plan addition to rear (S).

CHURCH: droved concrete blockwork (brick addition) with concrete dressings; hoodmoulds to front elevation window and 3rd stage openings of tower; chamfered surrounds to windows; slab copes to buttresses; kneelers to gabled skews; dentilled eaves course to side elevations.

TOWER: continuous angle buttresses to first 3 stages; band course between 1st and 2nd stages; band course between 2nd and 3rd stages; cill course to 3rd stage; dentilled cornice with clocks on all faces to 4th stage; angle pinnacles and battlements.

NE (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: 3-light plate traceried window to centre of gable block; trefoil window to gablehead above. Hood-moulded over point-arch doorway at 1st stage of tower; 2-leaf boarded door; point-arched window to SE face; slit window to 2nd stage; slit window to SE face, louvred point-arched opening to each face at 3rd stage; clock to each face at 4th stage.

SE (SIDE) ELEVATION: 5-bay with bay to outer right as 1st stage of tower. Pointed arch windows to each bay, subdivided horizontally due to flat conversion, velux roof lights above each bay; buttresses between each bay.

SW (REAR) ELEVATION: new paired central lights for flats.

NW (SIDE) ELEVATION: regular 6-bay with point-arched window to each bay, subdivided horizontally due to flat conversion, replacement glazing in each, 3rd from right shortened to incorporate new entrance door; buttress between each bay.

Many replacement windows, including laminated safety glass, obscured glass, some leaded glass still remaining. Grey slate piended roof with modern velux windows and roof vents; concrete coped skews with skewputts; cast-iron rainwater goods.

INTERIOR: not seen, 2000. Currently undergoing complete internal refurbishment into 8 flats.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATEPIERS, GATES AND RAILINGS: square plan concrete gatepiers, cap and cornice. Linked to a further pair by low, coped concrete quadrant walls, decorative wrought-iron gates and railings with wheel and foliate motif.

Statement of Special Interest

Designed by Donald Bruce of Glasgow, later of Bruce and Hay, Loanhead RP Church is noteworthy as one of the earliest buildings in Scotland to have been constructed using concrete blocks rather than stone. It provides a prominent local landmark also, having been built to the NW of the village on rising ground. Initially the church was not intended to be in concrete, but due to funding problems the cheaper option was chosen, although pains were taken to make the concrete resemble stone by tooling it to look like a droved ashlar. Costing between £2,500 and £2,600, a breakdown of the accounts is given by Patricia Cusack in her 1978 article, along with details of funding activities undertaken by the congregation.

Minor alterations have taken place since its construction, the original four crosses on each pinnacle of the tower and the cross over the main gable are now gone. The clocks were added in 1899 and around this time iron rod ties were installed, reinforcing the flank walls, and a brick extension was added to the rear later.

Major alterations commenced in 1999, seeing the church converted in to 8 residential flats. Although the fabric of the building survives, the original interior has been redesigned with the former plan and fitments being lost. The rear extension has now been removed, showing the previously hidden rear elevation. A new fenestration has been added to this.

References

Bibliography

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