Exploring the opening of the former Burleigh Church. The new Free Church of Blantyre East, the memorial stone of which was laid on 12th March 1892, was formally opened on the afternoon of Saturday 3rd December 1892 with a sermon by the Rev. Dr Bannerman, Perth. Despite the inclemency of the weather, there was a most gratifying attendance, among those present being the Rev. Mr Burleigh, pastor of the congregation; Rev. Mr Pryde, Established Church; Rev. Mr Paterson, Evangelical Union Church; Rev. Mr Campbell, Free Church; Rev. T. M. B. Paterson, West Free Church, Hamilton; Councillor Beveridge; Mr W. G. Rowan, architect, 234 West George Street, Glasgow; and a large representation of the office-bearers of the church.
The event was well covered by reporters who added,
“Dr Bannerman, in an able discourse, addressed seasonable advice to the children, of whom he was glad to see so many present, and Sabbath school teachers, and afterwards spoke of the manna which the children of Israel received in the wilderness as a type of Christ and His salvation, urging on his hearers the necessity, as the manna only fell round about the camp, of seeing that they were in the place where the camp of Israel was pitched, and that they were making a right use of the ordinances of the Church. If they turned away from God’s House, they were going away from the means of blessing. He made a solemn appeal to all to make sure that they did not put off receiving the blessing until a time when the manna would be melted and gone. The collection amounted to £37 3s.
A description of the new church was available that day.
The church stands on a site fronting the main road in Stonefield. The plan is simply that of a nave with single span, half open timber roof, lined with wood and stained. The north gable faces the main road with a large door in centre of lower stage opening into main vestibule, from which two doors communicate with area of church. To the left is the stair to back gallery, and on the right a deacons’ or cloak room. A large window fills the upper stage of front gable, having at the apex a foliated cross. The fliche covering ventilator is brought well towards the front and made a feature of the design in connection with the front gable. The wing walls flanking centre of main gable are treated as half timber work in the upper stage, introducing variety into the composition, and making the proportions more manageable without resorting to sham gables at sides as is so common.
The pulpit is placed in the centre of the south gable under a beautifully-designed and richly-coloured stained glass window of five lights, the figures designed by Harrington Mann, and the work executed by McCulloch & Co. under the personal superintendence of the architect, Mr W. G. Rowan. The window is in memory of the late Mrs Burleigh, wife of the present minister of the church, and is the gift of her brothers, Messrs James and Robert Braid. The work is a good example of the artist, well executed, and full of good colour. All the interior woodwork is stained a cool colour—rather light than dark—the walls tinted a warm yellow, without decorations of any kind. The gasaliers are of wrought iron, finished black, made by Milne & Son, Limited, Edinburgh and Glasgow, to special designs by the architect.
The walls of the church, vestibule, passages, and vestry are panelled with wood about six feet high all round, with a slightly enriched screen about double that height at back of pulpit under stained-glass window. The doors right and left of pulpit communicate with back passage separating church from hall. At end of new passage is the vestry, with heating chamber underneath. The heating is by 4-inch hot water pipes exposed above floor, and a radiator in front vestibule. The ventilation has been carefully attended to, and special apparatus of the latest type fitted into the main roof.
The church is seated for about 500 persons, of whom about 400 are accommodated in the area. The acoustics of the church have been put to a severe preliminary test, and proved admirable. The estimated cost was £1620, exclusive of boundary walls, ornamental wrought iron gates and railings, external wrought iron lamps, with stone die walls and pedestals, and certain fittings and furnishings.
I’ve a beautiful photo of the Burleigh Church much later in the 1960s as shown…..
Continued tomorrow…
