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Summary

Description

1864, with later alterations by W D McLennan, 1902-4. Roughly cruciform, simple-Gothic gabled church with integral 3-stage stairtower with polygonal belfry and spire breaking gable to left of entrance elevation. Stugged, coursed and snecked sandstone. Band course. Some chamfered openings ending in trefoil-type design. Church halls adjoining at rear (SE) see Notes.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: entrance elevation to NW. Central, deep-set 2-leaf timber door with diagonal boarding and curvilinear tracery hinges in moulded segmental-arched door surround. 4-light trefoil-headed windows above and rose window in gable above. Cross finial to gable apex. To left, 3-stage stairtower and spire, polygonal above church roof level with slated spire with finial. Carved stone gargoyles at corners and small, louvred openings to top stage.

Predominately leaded-pane windows with some coloured glass. Some later 20th century coloured glass windows. Grey slates. Raised skews with some gabled skewputts.

INTERIOR: (seen 2008). Good cohesive interior scheme with distinctive open timber roof. Timber panelled galleries to 3 sides, supported by slender cast-iron columns. Side galleries with timber pews and boxes. Timber pews throughout. Carved timber pulpit, organ case, communion table and font. Some 5-panelled timber doors; some coloured glass to leaded paned windows.

BOUNDARY WALLS, GATES AND GATEPIERS: to NW. Low, rubble wall with metal railings. Pair of square-plan gatepiers with pyramidal caps. Ornamental metal gates. Metal railings to SW.

Statement of Special Interest

Place of worship in use as such.

This church with its corner stairtower and polygonal steeple is a significant addition to the streetscape of this main thoroughfare. The simple Gothic style is of the period, however the distinctive tall polygonal stairtower with its gargoyle detailing sets this composition apart. The interior of the church is particularly fine and is dominated by the distinctive, open timber roof and box type gallery seating.

The foundation stone of the church was laid in 1864 by Sir Peter Coats of Paisley and the church was opened as the United Presbyterian Church in 1865. By the 1890s, the congregation had expanded and the gallery was extended to the sides in 1892. After the Union of the United Presbyterian Church and the Free Church in 1900, the church changed its name to Trinity United Free Church. The congregation continued to increase and in 1902, plans were drawn up by the architect W D McLennan to extend the church. The church was closed for 6 months and an extra 260 seats were gained by the addition of the side galleries and by extending the transepts of the church. In 1929, the church united with the Church of Scotland and became Trinity Church, Renfrew.

The organ and pulpit were designed and built by an Archibald Ferguson and were installed in 1923. In 1895, the large hall to the rear of the church was built at a cost of £850 and the halls were extended in 1932.

W D McLennan (1872-1940) was a Paisley architect, who designed a wide range of buildings including private houses and churches. He was particularly known for his Arts and Crafts style and St Matthew's Church in Paisley (1907) (see separate listing) is perhaps his best known work.

References

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