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Basic Site Details

Name: Barclay Church
Town, district or village: Bruntsfield
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: Clerk of Works: Alex Tod. Sculptor: Pearce. Cost: £8,000.

Re-seating and alterations in 1880
EDINBURGH.—The Barclay Free Church was reopened on Sunday after internal renovation and alterations. The whole of the seats in the area, which formerly had an upward slope to the pulpit, have been placed upon a level floor, and a new choir seat constructed. The pulpit has been lowered, and reconstructed of Caen stone, ornately panelled, while the reredos at the back of it has been considerably enlarged. The elders' seat below the pulpit is now separated from the area pews by a carved rail of pitch-pine, with quatrefoil ornamentation. The heating and ventilating arrangements have also been overhauled. Instead
of hot air, the church is now to be heated with hot-water pipes—4,400 feet of which have been introduced, chiefly in coils in the passages and corridors. Fresh air will be introduced into the building through a system of pipes capable of regulation, the vitiated air being carried off into the tower. This part of the work has been effected under the direction of Dr Russel and Dr Smart. The other alterations have been carried out from plans by Mr Pilkington, the architect of the building. The cost has been over £500. [Building News 1 October 1880 p398]

Cost of spire reconstruction £38,000

Alternative Names

The following alternative names are associated with this building/design:
 NameCurrent name?Notes
Item 1 of 1Barclay Bruntsfield ChurchYes 

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 2Barclay TerraceYes 
Item 2 of 21, Wright's HousesYes 

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 121861  Competition held for church
Item 2 of 12October 1861  Premium awarded to winner
Item 3 of 121862 Design exhibitedCompetition design (MacGibbon)
Item 4 of 121862  Building work commenced
Item 5 of 121863 Design exhibitedPilkington design exhibited; also Campbell Douglas & Stevenson design exhibited
Item 6 of 1223 August 1864  Topping out ceremony held
Item 7 of 1229 December 1864  First service held
Item 8 of 121880  Church reseated
Item 9 of 121891  Church halls
Item 10 of 121896  Organ case
Item 11 of 1219661969Repair 
Item 12 of 121976 ReconstructionSpire reconstruction

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 20Campbell DouglasArchitect, ValuerE1861 First premium in competition, but Pilkington got commission
Item 2 of 20Campbell Douglas & StevensonArchitectural practiceE1861 First premium in competition, but Pilkington got commission
Item 3 of 20John James StevensonArchitectE1861 First premium in competition, but Pilkington got commission
Item 4 of 20David MacGibbonArchitect 1862 Third place
Item 5 of 20Frederick Thomas PilkingtonArchitectB1862 Won commission and secured job.
Item 6 of 20T Pilkington & SonArchitectural practiceB1862 Won commission and secured job.
Item 7 of 20Thomas PilkingtonArchitectB1862 Won commission and secured job.
Item 8 of 20Frederick Thomas PilkingtonArchitectC1880 Reseating etc.
Item 9 of 20Arthur George Sydney MitchellArchitectA1891 Church halls
Item 10 of 20George WilsonArchitectA1891 Church halls
Item 11 of 20Sydney Mitchell & WilsonArchitectural practiceA1891 Church halls
Item 12 of 20Arthur George Sydney MitchellArchitectD1896 Organ case
Item 13 of 20George WilsonArchitectD1896 Organ case
Item 14 of 20Sydney Mitchell & WilsonArchitectural practiceD1896 Organ case
Item 15 of 20Stewart TodArchitectJ19661969Repairs
Item 16 of 20Stewart Tod & PartnersArchitectural practiceJ19661969Repairs
Item 17 of 20Anthony Clive Spenlove DixonArchitectK1976 Spire reconstruction - may not be involved
Item 18 of 20David CarrArchitectural practiceK1976 Spire reconstruction
Item 19 of 20Roger Heap TaylorArchitectK1976 Spire reconstruction - may not be involved
Item 20 of 20Stewart TodArchitectK1976 Spire reconstruction

Clients

The following individuals or organisations have commissioned work on this building/design:
 NameNotes
Item 1 of 1Barclay Bruntsfield Congregational BoardCleint for spire reconstruction

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 7Allen, Nic (ed.) Scottish Architects in Conservation  P127
Item 2 of 7Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp255
Item 3 of 7Glasgow Institute of Fine Arts1863   700 (Campbell Douglas & Stevenson)
Item 4 of 7Leitch, Rev Graham 'Rhinoceroses and giraffes': an architectural guide to Barclay Church, Edinburgh   
Item 5 of 7RIBA1980Directory of Practices 1980   
Item 6 of 7RSA1862   690
Item 7 of 7RSA1863   333, 713. Also 785 Campbell Douglas design (1st prize)785

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 6Builder5 July 1862XX  
Item 2 of 6Builder2 May 1891LX Halls
Item 3 of 6Building News20 September 1864   
Item 4 of 6Building News1 October 1880  For reseating by Pilkington
Item 5 of 6Edinburgh Evening Courant30 December 1864   
Item 6 of 6Scotsman17 February 1865   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 2Edinburgh City ArchivesEdinburgh Dean of Guild  
Item 2 of 2Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register26720 

Images

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