Coats Paisley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Coats Paisley
Coats Paisley Location in Renfrewshire
55°50′41″N 4°25′57″W / 55.8448°N 4.4324°W / 55.8448; -4.4324
Location	High Street Paisley, Renfrewshire
Country	Scotland
History
Founded	May 1894
Architecture
Functional status	Deconsecrated, now public use
Heritage designation	Category A
Architect(s)	Hippolyte Blanc
Style	Gothic Revival

Coats Paisley is a beautiful and historic building located in Paisley, Scotland. It stands tall at the west end of the High Street. For many years, it was known as the Thomas Coats Memorial Baptist Church. People even called it the "Baptist Cathedral of Europe" because it was so grand!

This amazing building has been a key part of the Paisley skyline for over 100 years. Its unique crown steeple reaches about 60 meters (nearly 200 feet) into the sky. The building is so special that it is a Category A listed building. This means it's a very important historical building that needs to be protected.

Who Was Thomas Coats?

Thomas Coats (1809-1883) was a very important person from Paisley. He helped start the famous J.&P Coats company, which made thread. Thomas was also a philanthropist, meaning he loved to help others and gave a lot of money to good causes. He was a strong member of the Baptist Church.

Thomas cared deeply about his town. He helped fix up Paisley Abbey and paid for projects like the Coats Observatory and Paisley Fountain Gardens. After he passed away in 1883, his family decided to build a grand Baptist church to remember him. This church became Coats Paisley.

Building History

The idea for the church started with a design competition in 1885. Six skilled architects were chosen to submit their plans. The winning design came from Hippolyte Jean Blanc.

Construction of the church began in late 1885. It took many years to build, finally being finished in May 1894. For over a century, it served as a church. However, by 2018, fewer people were attending services, and the building needed a lot of expensive repairs. The last church service was held in August 2018.

After that, a special group started a campaign to raise money. Their goal was to fix up the building and turn it into a place for arts and culture.

Amazing Architecture

Coats Paisley is built in the Gothic Revival style. This means it looks like the grand cathedrals from the Middle Ages. It's made from red sandstone and has a cross shape when viewed from above. You can see flying buttresses, which are supports that stick out from the walls.

The central tower has an open crown steeple at the top, which is very striking. At the front, a set of stairs leads to four large oak doors. Inside, there's enough space for almost 1,000 people to sit under a beautiful vaulted ceiling. The building is filled with amazing details like colorful mosaics, painted decorations, and carved stone figures called gargoyles. There are also beautiful carvings made from marble and alabaster.

Above the main area, called the chancel, the vaulted ceiling is decorated with paintings of angels. On either side of the chancel, you can see parts of the huge organ. This organ has about 3,040 pipes! It was built by William Hill & Sons and is one of the few organs of its kind in Britain that has never been changed.

What It's Used For Today

Today, the Coats Memorial Preservation Trust takes care of the building. It's no longer a church but a popular venue for many different events. People hold weddings, school proms, and graduation ceremonies there. Companies also use it for special events.

The building is also a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows. For example, parts of Season 5 of the historical drama Outlander were filmed at the former church and its grounds.

See also

• Paisley, Renfrewshire
• List of Category A listed buildings in Renfrewshire
• List of listed buildings in Paisley, Renfrewshire