Description

1845. Single storey, 3-bay, rectangular-plan church. Harled.

E (ENTRANCE) ELEVATION: symmetrical elevation. Advanced, central gabled porch; small central window; boarded timber doors to left and right returns. Ground floor window to right and left of porch; smaller windows centred above. Small central, slatted ventilation opening below eaves.

S ELEVATION: 3 regularly placed windows.

W ELEVATION: tall, pointed arched window to right and left; intersecting tracery. Small, central opening (now blocked) below eaves. Advanced, central gabled porch; window to right. Advanced porch to re-entrant angles; boarded timber door to each; swept roofs.

N ELEVATION: 3 regularly placed windows.

Predominantly 24-pane timber sash and case windows and smaller 16-pane windows. Part piended, Caithness slate roof. Coped gable end stack to W porch; circular can.

INTERIOR: yellow painted walls. Entrance hallway to E; stair to N leading to gallery. 2 doors lead into church; 3 sets of simple timber pews. Elevated pulpit to W; flanking steps. Panelled timber pulpit; ogee canopy to sounding board; surmounted by carved dove. Boarded shutters to flanking pointed-arched windows; architraved boarded door centred below windows. Panelled gallery to E, on stop-chamfered timber columns. All woodwork painted light blue and white. Boarded and ribbed timber ceiling.

BOUNDARY WALLS AND ANCILLARY STRUCTURE

Rubble coped boundary walls to N, E and W incorporating ancillary structure to NW corner. Single storey shed; boarded timber door to E; rubble walls; corrugated asbestos roof.

Statement of Interest

Ecclesiastical building, in use as such (2000). Westray Parish Church, also referred to as the Old Kirk, is a simple, barn-like structure. Much of the original exterior detailing survives, notably the pointed-arched windows in the W gable with tracery. The particularly decorative pulpit, in the open nave, is surmounted by the carved dove of the Holy Spirit.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q77776340

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

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  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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