| The Architecture
of St Andrew’s and St George’s Church
The Elliptical Plan
Built in the 1780s, St Andrew’s and
St George’s Church is famous for its elliptical plan
which was the first in Britain. There are similarities to
William Adam’s design for Hamilton Church and to James
Gibbs’ original idea for St Martin-in-the-Fields in
London, both of which were round sanctuaries fronted with
porticoes.
The Architectural Style
The architectural style reflects the contemporary
18th century fashion for classical Roman forms. These include
the ‘temple front’ portico with ceiling rosettes
based on examples found in Syria by Robert Wood and illustrated
in his “Ruins of Palmyra” of 1753. The magnificent
interior ceiling design, in the style of Robert Adam, also
incorporates many features found in Roman and Pompeian interior
design, as well as Scottish thistles.
The Spire and Bells
The original design for St Andrew’s
Church included a short tower but the Town Council opted for
a steeple, built in 1787. It contains a unique
peal of eight bells cast in 1788 by William and Thomas
Mears at Whitechapel Bell Foundry, the oldest complete ring
in Scotland. Donations to our Bells Restoration Appeal are
welcome.
The Pulpit and Pews
The pulpit has undergone alterations, its
sounding board having been removed, but the present structure
is similar to the original. The old box pews survive in and
under the gallery.
Windows
The original Georgian crown glass sash windows
with glazing bars no longer exist. Of the replacements the
most noteworthy are stained glass windows by Alfred Webster
(1913) and Douglas Strachan (1934).
The Organ
The organ
was built and installed in 1984 by the Wells-Kennedy Partnership
of Lisburn in Northern Ireland. It has an American oak casing
made by Christopher Gordon Wells.
Contact
us if you would like to use our church or its various
rooms for events such as weddings meetings or concerts.
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