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Summary

Description

Harry Taylor, 1962-1965. Predominantly double height, square-plan Modernist church; orientated on diagonal axis, symmetrical S (principal) corner elevation with large recessed entrance and concrete sculpture to canted overhang (see NOTES); roofline canted up to sharp point on S and N corner elevations; single storey section wrapped around N corner elevation, with returns to principal S corner elevation. Artificial stone base course; predominantly cavity brick construction, cement harl; concrete eaves course; precast concrete steps. Chamfered cills. Small rectangular clearstory windows predominantly aligned to roofline; full-height glazing separated by tapered concrete mullions and timber transom to single storey section. Paired timber and glazed entrance doors, flanked by concrete cased chamfered stanchions. Cast-iron bell on concrete bracket above entrance. Cut-out to N corner elevation with structural painted steel I-beam crucifix. Roughly Z-plan church halls and vestry adjoined to NW corner.

Predominately replacement opaque polycarbonate glazing in timber fixed pane windows, some awning windows to upper pane of single storey section; coloured glass to clearstory; some plate glass to church halls in variety of timber framed fixed pane with pivot or awning windows. Concrete tiled, pitched roof to church; flat felt roof to single storey section and church halls.

INTERIOR (seen 2010): Modernist design scheme to interior. Greek cross windows with distinctive blue stained glass to inner wall of entrance vestibule. Stepped, square plan tiled dais; painted timber pews angled to plan; timber organ gallery over entrance with simple timber balustrade; earlier bronze memorial plaques; suspended boarded-cedar ceiling. Painted aerated concrete blocks to interior walls of church. Predominantly timber with narrow fixed pane glazing 2-leaf doors to church. Timber stage to E of large church hall.

CHURCH HALLS AND VESTRY: 5-bay, double height, rectangular-plan hall adjoined to church by single storey, rectangular block to SE elevation accommodating vestry and offices; single storey, square-plan hall abutted to SW corner. Painted vertical timber boarding below and above windows to S elevation of church hall and below windows to W elevations.

Statement of Special Interest

Place of worship in use as such. Muirhouse St Andrews parish church is a largely-unaltered building characterised by a bold geometric design, unusual plan form and well-detailed interior. Located in the centre of a post-war housing estate in the suburb of Edinburgh, the design of this church, particularly its distinctive corner elevation and canted roofline makes a significant contribution to the area. The interior is imaginatively detailed with distinctive stained glass, dais oriented to the unusual plan form and bold timber boarded roof. The open-plan design demonstrates the move to a less hierarchical form of worship occurring during this period following the principles of the contemporary Liturgical Movement. The cut out at the N corner, above the dais, focuses attention to the structural cross. Above the entrance are pre-cast coloured concrete sculptures of a winged man, a winged lion, a winged bull, an eagle and a dove in the centre, which are representative of the four evangelists and the Holy Spirit.

Muirhouse St Andrews is one of a select number of post-war commissions for the Church of Scotland which was modernist in its conception. Church of Scotland buildings of this period were generally more conservative in design than their Roman Catholic counterparts, however a small group were the exception, including St Mary Magdalene, Portobello (1966), Craigsbank, Corstorphine (1964-7) and Brucefield, Whitburn (1965-7) (see separate listings). Details such as the small clearstory windows with splayed surrounds are similar to the later work of Le Corbusier and in particular, Notre-Dame du Haut, Ronchamp.

Harry Taylor was Home Board Architect to the Church of Scotland, prior to which he had worked in the Lanarkshire County Architects' Department. He designed a number of new churches Burdiehouse Church (1960), St Mark's Church, Raploch (1964-66) and the Netherbow Centre (1971-72). His work is characterised by bold and simple massing, in concrete and cement harl and bold timber detailing to the interior.

Muirhouse St Andrews Parish Church was constructed as part of a housing development on the outskirts of Edinburgh, known as Muirhouse II. This post-war housing scheme was one of a number by the Edinburgh Corporation to provide housing for those residing in inhabitable city centre tenements. The redevelopment of Muirhouse was phased, commencing in 1955. Low rise temporary housing was systematically replaced with a variety of higher density housing types, including maisonettes, single storey buildings for the elderly and multi-storey apartment blocks. The redevelopment of Pennywell Gardens occurred in 1963. The redevelopment also included the provision of shops and other community buildings, including churches.

References

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