Description

John Henderson, Edinburgh, dated 1842. Rectangular-plan, aisless church with 3-bay nave and chancel. Squared rubble with ashlar margins and quoin strips. Base and eaves courses. Tudor-arched doorway; pointed arch and traceried windows. Hoodmoulds with label stops; stone mullions.

NW (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: bay to right of centre with gabled stone porch, steps up to studded timber door with decorative ironwork hinges, and weathered panel in gablehead, 2 tall 2-light traceried windows to left flanking re-cut panel worded 'ST CATHARINE'S CHURCH 1842'. Lower gabled bay with traceried window projecting at outer left.

SW (BROWN STREET) ELEVATION: broad gabled bay with 5 tall lancets, stone cross finial, slightly lower house adjoining at outer right and deep base course extending from low boundary wall at left.

NE ELEVATION: stone-cross finialled gabled chancel projection with hoodmoulded 3-light traceried stained glass window, slightly set-back lower bay to right with panelled timber door below blind shield, and small lean-to structure in re-entrant angle to left.

Replacement multi-pane diamond-pattern leaded glazing; coloured margins and figurative panels to tripartite window at E. Grey slates. Stepped ashlar-coped skews.

INTERIOR: fixed timber pews, 4-centre arched wooden ceiling with ribs and moulded chancel arch; polygonal timber pulpit on stone plinth with linen-carved panels surmounted by inscribed brass band and narrow floreate-carved panels. Mural monuments include carved panel of 'The Ascension' and brass panel commemorating 'Marjory Davis' wife of the 'sixth incumbent and first rector', died 1894.

BOUNDARY WALLS, RAILINGS AND GATE: low saddleback-coped squared rubble boundary walls with inset decorative cast-iron railings and 2-leaf gate.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building in use as such. The congregation of St Catharine's was formed in 1841, the church was built with funds largely donated by James Marshall and consecrated in 1843. All windows were replaced within the 8 years preceding 2002. A painting by Mattia Preti entitled 'Escape of St Peter', loaned to the church by Lord Lansdowne, was recently sold, and 3/4million pounds donated to the church. This was equally divided between the Lansdowne family, the Caroline Fitzmorris Trust and the vestry fund for donations and church repairs. To the E of the church is a hall, due for demolition and replacement 2002, formerly used as a school, drill hall and armoury of the Volunteers and rooms of the Photographic Association.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17831004

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)