Glasgow Herald -  Monday 15th November 1880

NEW PARISH CHURCH FOR KILLEARN.

On Saturday afternoon the foundation-stone of a new church for the Parish of Killearn was laid by Mr James Blackburn of Killearn, in presence of a large and distinguished company. The new edifice occupies a site near to the old church, almost in the centre of the village of Killearn. It is the gift of Mr Arch. Orr Ewing, MP., and is in memory of the hon. Gentleman’s deceased daughter, Ella Constance Lindsay Orr Ewing. It has been presented to the heritor’s in lieu of the old church, which has been made over to the minister and kirk session, to be used by them for Sabbath-school objects and secular purposes on the other days of the week. As the old church has for some seasons proved too small for the requirements of residents and summer visitors, the kindness of Mr Orr Ewing is greatly appreciated, the number of extra sittings provided being close upon 200. The style of architecture followed is the early English type of Gothic, and the structure runs from east to west, the main front looking easterly. A broad entrance there will lead to a spacious vestibule, off which to right and left are passages carried the entire length of the area, some 83 feet. The church is of a cruciform shape, the arms of the cross being formed of transepts. The roof, an elegant open- timbered one, will rest on moulded principals springing from moulded corbel pillars on the side walls. There will be no side galleries; but over the entrance vestibule a choir, and what may become serviceable as an organ loft, will be constructed, access being obtained through a stair carried up the tower which rises in the north-east corner of the building. This tower will be fully 100 feet high and will be surmounted by a spire some other 50 feet high, giving in all a height from base to apex of fully 100 feet. Provision is to be made for having clocks on two sides of the tower, and above will be the belfry chamber, open to the four sides. To the rear of the church there will be the customary vestry and session-house accommodation. Internally the fittings of the church will be plain but ornate, and in the entire arrangements due regard will be had to the comfort of worshippers. The cost, which, as has been said, is to be borne by Mr Ewing, will be between £3000 and £6000.

The ceremony of Saturday was taken part in by nearly all the members of the congregation, and many ladies and gentlemen from surrounding districts, the company including Mr James Blackbarn of Killearn, Mr A.Orr-Ewing M.P.; Mr D. Wilson, Carbeth House; Mr D. McL. B. Buchanan, Boquhan; Mr D. Edmond, Ballochruin; Mr M. Connall, Parkhall House, Mr James Murray, chamberlain to the Duke of Montrose; Mr Kerr, factor, Ballikinrain Mr F. Reid, Shandon; Mr McNee, Balfron; Mr R. Buchanan, Parkhouse; Mr John Bryce, architect, Edinburgh; Mr A R Duncan, factor to Sir William Edmonstone; Mr C. Mauchan, Killearn; Mr W. A. McLauchlan, Auchintroig and the Rev. Messrs McNaughton, Killearn; Fiddes, Free Church, Killearn; A. Slessor, Balfron; and McBean, Dalreoch. The Hundredth Psalm having been sung by the choir, and prayer offered by the Rev. Mr M McNaughton, parish minister, Mr Orr Ewing, L.P., addressing Mr Blackburn (who had consented 'to lay the memorial stone), said it devolved upon him to present that gentleman with a handsome silver trowel with which to perform the duty he had undertaken. He could assure all present that he was not an unmoved Spectator of the ceremony in which they were engaged. He hoped that the church would long prove of advantage to the inhabitants of the parish, and that within its walls many would be directed to the cross of their blessed Saviour. And he hoped while that church would serve the purpose of meeting the religious requirements of the district, those who gathered and worshipped -within its walls would ever re-member that God regarded not the house made with hands, but rather the pure and undefiled heart and the undefiled teaching that might come from the pulpit. (Hear, hear.) A glass jar, containing coins, newspapers, &c., was then placed in a cavity in the stone, which was formally laid, and declared to be duly so, by Mr Blackburn, who, in a sentence, expressed the pleasure it afforded him to take part in the ceremony. A hymn was afterwards sung by the choir, and the benediction having been pronounced, the proceedings, which lasted only a few minutes, terminated.

 

Glasgow Herald - Saturday, 12th August 1882

THE NEW PARISH CHURCH AT KILLEARN.

As Intimated in our issue of Thursday, the new church of the parish of Killearn is to be opened tomorrow, the preachers being the Rev. Professor Charteris, the Rev. Dr McGregor, and the Rev. John Cameron. The building is a memorial church. It is the gift of Mr Archie. Orr Ewing, M.P. for Dunbartonshire. Some time ago it was found that the old edifice in which the parish congregation have hitherto worshipped was too small to accommodate the increasing number of members and occasional attendants, especially during the summer months. At first it was thought that enlargement of the existing building might meet the necessities of the case, but on giving the subject further consideration Mr Orr Ewing, who had been prepared to meet the cost of the extension, handsomely offered to provide an entirely new church for the parish. In coming to this determination Mr Ewing had the double object in view of benefiting the Church generally to which he belongs, and the parish and congregation of Killearn in particular, and of commemorating a much-loved daughter who died in girlhood. The offer was accepted by the kirk session and the other parties interested, and plans were speedily prepared, and the contractors set to work, with the result that a building such as one "would like to see in every parish in Scotland" has been made ready for occupation. It may also be mentioned that, contemporaneously with the building of the new church. Mr Blackburn of Killearn has generously given an additional piece of ground so that at present adjoining the manse.

The new building, prominently situated in the centre of the village, is in all respects a comely structure. The plans were prepared by the eminent firm of D. & J. Bryce, architects, Edinburgh, from whose designs so many of the ecclesiastical and other buildings of a public character in Scotland have been erected. Exteriorly the edifice presents! an elegant appearance. The facade to the principal street of the village is broken in the centre by the entrance door, a finely finished piece of masonry with deeply splayed jambs and moulded and carved arch. Over this doorway is a double-light window, ornamented with cusped heads and circular compartment at top, and connected by the "label ' or hood with single lancet windows closely adjoining. Flanking this elevation is the tower and spire, rising to a height of about 100 feet. The lower portion of the tower contains a staircase leading to the choir gallery. Above this is situated the clock room, in which a handsome clock has now been placed, showing the hours on a clear dial, visible from many parts of the village. Over this again is the bell chamber, with two deeply splayed louvre-boarded openings finished with moulded arches and cusped heads, in each of the four sides, the arrangement of louvre boards permitting the free egress of sound. The side walls are divided by buttresses into bays, each of which contains two single lancet windows connected together by the hood. In the transept gables, the windows are in three compartments, all contained within one outer arch, the head of which is ornamented with plate tracery. A beautifully designed window, in the form of a large geometric circle, 10 feet in diameter, is the leading feature of the gable behind the pulpit; and, filled in with a handsome stained-glass window, is particularly attractive when viewed from the interior of the building. Messrs James Ballantine & Son are the designers and makers of this artistic specimen of glass staining, in the central ring of which is a medal-lion portrait of the lady in whose memory the church has been gifted by Mr Ewing. The portrait, which is said to be an excellent one, is surrounded by the words "I know that my Redeemer liveth". The ten spaces radiating from this centre, each of which terminates - in a small circular compartment, are filled in with a happy arrangement of lilies and roses, while the terminating circles are occupied with the figures of angels. The length of the building over the gables is 96 feet, the breadth 41 feet, and the transepts measure 15 feet long by 27 feet broad. The general character of the architecture is Gothic of the Early English type, and the appearance of the building as now completed is effective and pleasing. The interior of the edifice is in perfect harmony with the elegance of the outside. In the nave, the roof, which is supported by open timbers and rises to a height of 41 feet from the floor, is lined throughout with pitch pine between rafters that are supported on purlins stretching between carved and moulded principals. These principals spring from moulded wood corbels set in the walls, and borne on small, polished stone shafts, with ornamental caps and bases, standing on carved stone corbels. The transepts have also open timbered roofs of similar design; though somewhat simpler, the ridge being lower than that of the nave. There is no gallery, except the small one already alluded to for the choir, which is situated over the entrance vestibule. The pews, in which there is accommodation for 600 persons, are roomy and comfortable, of modern appearance, and without doors. At each side of the pulpit, and affixed to the wall, are two brass tablets in oak frames, on which are engraved the Lord's Prayer the Ten Commandments, and the Creed. Close beside the pulpit is the baptismal font, the work. of Mr Rhind, sculptor, Edinburgh, a gift from other members of the Orr Ewing family, who have also caused a beautiful marble commemorative tablet to be inserted in the family pews. The windows are being filled in with cathedral tinted glass, but already gifts of handsome. Stained glass windows have been made to the session in addition to that to which. reference l has been made. A double-light window is being prepared by Messrs Clayton & Bell, London- the donors being Judge Lawrie of The Moss - and the representatives of the late Dr Graham, minister of the parish. On the order of the trustees of the late Mr Jamieson of Gartness, another stained-glass window, the design and workmanship of Messrs Kier, St Vincent Street, Glasgow, has also been fitted in, and forms at once an elegant feature of the interior and a pleasing evidence of the artistic skill of the designers. Session-room and vestry - accommodation is provided behind the church, and here also the heating chamber will be situated. The building is heated by a system of pipes running underneath the passages, and careful provision is made for the thorough ventilation of the whole church. The old church will also, according to the terms of Mr Orr Ewing's gift, be available on Sundays for Sabbath school work. The names of the contractors for the various departments of the work, Mr. A. Stuart; joiner work, Mr Robert Shillinglaw, Edinburgh; painter and decorators' work, Messrs J. Ballantine & Son, Edinburgh; slater work, Messrs John Morrison & Son, Glasgow; plumber work, Messrs Burn & Baillie, Edinburgh- plaster work, Mr James Annan, Edinburgh; glazier work, Messrs Alex. Cunningham & Co., Edinburgh; heating apparatus, J. Combe & Son, Glasgow. The tower bell has been made by Messrs John C. Wilson & Co., Glasgow, and the clock the workmanship of Messrs Robert Bryson & Sons Edinburgh.