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Summary

Description

William Robertson, (Samuel Baikie, builder), 1890-2 with later alterations and additions. 3-bay gable-ended gothic-detailed, galleried hall church with central square-plan, 3-stage battlemented tower with octagonal spire built on ground rising steeply to W. Stugged and snecked sandstone ashlar with stugged and droved dressings. Base course; string course, continuous as hood moulds over doors at ground, 1st floor and to windows at 2nd stage of tower. Moulded, slightly corbelled band courses dividing tower stages; machicolated battlements at 3rd stage; cornice defining gable behind. Ovolo-moulded and chamfered reveals to point-arched openings. Long and short quoins; pinnacles to gable terminals.

E (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATION: TOWER: stone flight to deep-set 2-leaf timber panelled doors at 1st stage with simply traceried pointed-arched fanlight above; identically set timber panelled door in each flanking return; tall vertically arranged 4-light window (lights arranged 2 over 2) at 2nd stage; narrow 2-light window with blank stone panel above in each flanking return; oculus to E, N and S sides at 3rd stage; blocked window to W; gabletted louvered vents to every other side to spire; weather vane above. Small round-arched window set wide and low with tall window above in each flanking bay to recessed main block.

W (REAR) ELEVATION: 2-bay gabled wall. Tall, vertically arranged 4-light window in each bay.

N (CHURCH ROAD): regular 4-bay, with full-height window divided at gallery level by stone transom, forming 2-light window at each floor in each bay.

S (SIDE) ELEVATION: identical arrangement to N elevation with piended L-plan addition projecting S from bay to outer left. Modern timber door in bay to right; bipartite in advanced bay to left. Detached rubble lean-to lavatory block with modern timber and louvered doors offset to right of centre sited to further S.

Stone traceried and transomed windows to E (tower) and to W (rear); stained glass to W end; timber traceried windows to E (main block), N and S. Grey slate; slate to spire and additions; ashlar skews; uPVC rainwater goods with some cast-iron remaining.

INTERIOR: cast-iron Tuscan columns supporting timber panelled U-plan gallery facing W end with bracketed cornice; paired dog-leg staircases with cast-iron barleysugar banisters and timber handrails flanking pierced trefoil-headed galleried former pulpit; panelled screen below gothic-detailed carved timber organ frame against W wall behind; good, stained glass windows flanking organ; tiered high-backed timber pews to gallery (pews at ground removed); cast-iron barleysugar railings with timber top-rail in front of gallery windows; boarded dado to ground floor and around gallery; tall painted glass traceried window containing access door to tower at E end; timber-panelled and architraved doors; timber skirting boards; timber-lined kingpost roof.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND RAILINGS: stugged sandstone ashlar walls with flat ashlar cope; cast-iron fleur-de-lys-headed railings.

Statement of Special Interest

No longer in ecclesiastical use. Following The Disruption in 1843 the Rev. Peter Learmonth, former minister of St Peter's, headed 600 of the congregation in the setting up of a Free Church in Stromness. By 1844 a meeting house on this site was built (as shown by the 1st edition OS map) but was completely rebuilt in 1890-2. It has been known by generations as the North Kirk.

References

Bibliography

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