St Andrews R.C. Church Hall, Bridgend Street, Rothesay, Bute, Rothesay, Argyll and Bute

Description

A M McKinlay, 1908. Former United Free church converted for use as church hall later 20th century. Asymmetrical 2-storey, single bay former gabled church with advanced, full-height, single bay polygonal tower to outer right; single storey, 2-bay wing recessed to outer left (adjoining adjacent block). Coursed, natural-faced red sandstone; red ashlar dressings. Raised base course; ashlar cill and lintel courses at ground and 1st floors; coped polished blocking course surmounting advanced tower to outer right; coped eaves. Red ashlar quoins; long and short ashlar surrounds to openings; square-headed windows at ground; segmental-arched 5-light window centred beneath apex; flat ogee-arched windows at 1st floor off-set to right of centre; architraved stone mullions and transoms; chamfered reveals.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: canted tower to outer right comprising recessed 2-leaf timber panelled door; architraved Tudor-arched surround; quadripartite fanlight (architraved mullions); half-engaged octagonal shafts flanking to upper left and right; moulded stops; circular caps; corniced drip-course set between; bipartite window aligned at 1st floor. Projecting half-engaged octagonal belfry recessed to outer right; louvred trefoil-headed openings; bracketed eaves; finialed ogee roof. Recessed 2-storey panel centred beneath gabled bay to left of entrance; 2 single windows at ground; large segmental-arched window beneath apex at 1st floor comprising round-arched openings flanking single ogee-arched opening; mullioned fanlights above. Projecting foliate stop centred on corniced corbel above stop-chamfered corner at ground linking single storey wing to outer left; 2-leaf timber panelled door off-set to right of centre; roll-moulded surround, segmental-arched lintel; bipartite window in bay to outer left.

Predominantly opaque leaded glass (stylised floral decoration set in upper panels); boarded openings at ground in bay to outer left. Graded grey slate roof; raised stone skews; terracotta ridge-tiling; conical-capped ridge ventilator at centre; flat disc surmounting tapering finial.

INTERIOR: false ceiling inserted to form hall at ground; storage area above. Regularly-disposed cast-iron quatrefoil Corinthian columns at ground; pointed-arched arcade above ceiling; hammerbeam roof; gallery to E; large pointed-arched window to W (now halved). Stone stair to upper floor; decorative cast-iron balustrade; timber handrail.

PIERS: coursed red ashlar, circular-capped cylindrical piers flanking entrance; engaged single pier at ground to left of centre.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building, no longer in use as such. B Group with adjacent linked 2-storey half-harled block now part used as an auction room (see separate list entry for Nos 6, 8, 10 and 12 Bridgend Street). An unusual building with some interesting features - the decorative door surrounds, leaded glass, heavy corbel, louvred belfry strangely projecting to the N, impressive 5-light window and rare roof ventilator. Despite internal subdivision and loss of its original use, the building retains many original features - note the hammerbeam ceiling, pointed-arch arcade and cast-iron columns. Walker notes its "...stimulating turn-of-the-century infusion..." (p157). Designed with the adjacent block (originally housing a church officer?s flat, stores and a hall), the whole was completed in June 1909. With its large street window "...deeply recessed and moulded...the upper portion being of fine tracery", solid floor blocks to "...deaden the sound and also make the church more comfortable", and a ventilation system "...of the most approved and latest method", John Morrison, then Master of the Works, thought the buildings "...well arranged", reflecting "...great credit on the architect" (A B D A). McKinlay was also responsible for St Andrew?s Roman Catholic Church, Columshill Place in 1907.

Rothesay is one of Scotland's premier seaside resorts, developed primarily during the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries, and incorporates an earlier medieval settlement. The town retains a wide range of buildings characteristic of its development as a high status 19th century holiday resort, including a range of fine villas, a Victorian pier and promenade.

The history and development of Rothesay is defined by two major phases. The development of the medieval town, centred on Rothesay Castle, and the later 19th and early 20th century development of the town as a seaside resort. Buildings from this later development, reflect the wealth of the town during its heyday as a tourist destination, and include a range of domestic and commercial architecture of a scale sometimes found in larger burghs. Both the 19th and early 20th century growth of the town, with a particular flourish during the inter-war period, included areas of reclaimed foreshore, particularly along the coast to the east of the town and around the pier and pleasure gardens.

(List description revised as part of Rothesay listing review 2010-11).

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