Basic Site Details

Name: Helensburgh Free Church
Town, district or village: Helensburgh
City or county: Dunbartonshire
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status: B Listed
Grid ref:
Notes: Cost: £2,300.

Glazier: John Cairney

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 6Helensburgh Parish Church  
Item 2 of 6West Established Church in 1892
Item 3 of 6West Free ChurchYes 
Item 4 of 6West KirkYes 
Item 5 of 6West Parish Church  
Item 6 of 6West UF Church from 1900 to 1929

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Church  

Street Addresses

The following street addresses are associated with this building:
 AddressMain entrance?Notes
Item 1 of 4Colquhoun SquareYes 
Item 2 of 4John StreetYesAddress of 1892 hall
Item 3 of 4West King StreetYesAddress of 1892 hall
Item 4 of 4West Princes StreetYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 718521853 Original building
Item 2 of 730 March 1852  Designs approved (version with spire costing £2,300 chosen, in preference to version with tower costing £2,660)
Item 3 of 71879  Session House
Item 4 of 71892  Redecoration and addition of porch
Item 5 of 716 May 1892  New hall for managers - plans dated
Item 6 of 76 October 1924  Restoration after fire - plans dated
Item 7 of 71994  Managers' hall demolished

People

Design and Construction

The following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 13J, W H & J M Hay ('The Hays of Liverpool')Architectural practiceA18521853Original building
Item 2 of 13James Murdoch HayArchitectA18521853Original building
Item 3 of 13John HayArchitectA18521853Original building
Item 4 of 13Thomas BonnarBuilderA18521853Builder, selected by Hays of Liverpool
Item 5 of 13William Hardie HayArchitectA18521853Original building
Item 6 of 13Campbell DouglasArchitect, ValuerC1879 Session House
Item 7 of 13Campbell Douglas & SellarsArchitectural practiceC1879 Session House
Item 8 of 13James SellarsArchitect, ValuerC1879 Session House
Item 9 of 13William LeiperArchitect 1892 Redecoration; addition of porch; new hall for managers
Item 10 of 13George Andrew PatersonArchitectB1923 Design for chancel - addition, or redecoration after fire (design only)
Item 11 of 13John StewartArchitectB1923 Design for chancel - addition, or redecoration after fire (design only)
Item 12 of 13Stewart & PatersonArchitectural practiceB1923 Design for chancel - addition, or redecoration after fire (design only)
Item 13 of 13Robert WemyssArchitect 1924 Restoration after fire

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 8McDonald, William (ed)1999Burgh of Helensburgh Dean of Guild Court Records 1875-1975 Argyll & Bute Council Library & Information Service and Argyll & Bute Archives 
Item 2 of 8Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts1923   794 (Stewart & Paterson work)
Item 3 of 8Royal Glasgow Institute of the Fine Arts1925   171 (Stewart & Paterson - chancel)
Item 4 of 8RSA1924   570 (Stewart & Paterson - chancel)
Item 5 of 8Walker, David M2002Presbyterian Variations on Themes by Sharpe and Pugin:The Scottish Work of the Hays of Liverpool Architectural Heritage XIII, Journal of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland, pp99-127p104
Item 6 of 8Walker, F A2000Argyll and Bute (The Buildings of Scotland)  p272 ( Session House), p273
Item 7 of 8Walker, Frank Arneil and Sinclair, Fiona1992North Clyde estuary: An Illustrated Architectural Guide  p70
Item 8 of 8Wemyss, Robert1925The Church in the Square: a history of the West United Free Church, Helensburgh   

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 1RIBA Journal26 August 1916 London: Royal Institute of British ArchitectsObituary of Leiper p304

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 4Argyll & Bute Council ArchivesHelensburgh Dean of Guild 10/1892; 20/1924
Item 2 of 4Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register34766 
Item 3 of 4National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSDrawings Collection Prints of original drawings
Item 4 of 4Practice Archive dispersedStewart & Paterson Office List of Drawings from A G Lochhead (per Alexander Wright)