St Edward's Church, Sanday facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Edward's, Sanday |
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| St Edward's Centre | |
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The building in 2013
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| 57°03′12″N 6°29′41″W / 57.05334°N 6.49466°W | |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
| History | |
| Status | Deconsecrated |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Disused |
| Heritage designation | B |
| Designated | 29 May 1985 |
| Architect(s) | William Frame |
| Style | Neo Romanesque |
| Groundbreaking | 1886 |
| Completed | 1890 |
| Closed | 1963 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | stone |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Argyll & the Isles |
St Edward's Church is an old church building on the small Scottish island of Sanday, Inner Hebrides. It is no longer used for church services.
Contents
A Special Gift for the Islands
This church was a gift to the people of Sanday and the nearby island of Canna. It was given by Gwendolyn Fitzalan-Howard, who was the 3rd Marchioness of Bute. She had the church built to remember her father, Edward Fitzalan-Howard. He had passed away in 1883.
At that time, the islands were owned by the Thom family. Even though the Thoms were not Catholic, they happily allowed the church to be built. Later, in 1912, the Thom family built a Protestant church called St Columba's Church, Canna on Canna.
Building the Church
The design for St Edward's Church was created by William Frame. He was the main architect for the Bute family. The church was built between 1886 and 1890. A sculptor named Thomas Nicholls helped with some of the stone carvings inside.
Both William Frame and Thomas Nicholls worked on other famous buildings. These include the Pierhead Building, Castell Coch, and the Animal Wall in Cardiff. The Marquess of Bute owned Cardiff Castle, so these buildings were important to his family.
Before St Edward's was built, there was an older Catholic chapel on Canna. It was dedicated to St Columba and built around 1770. After St Edward's opened, this old chapel was turned into a shop and post office.
Why the Church Closed
Over time, fewer and fewer people lived on Sanday and Canna. Today, only about 30 people live on both islands combined. Because there were so few churchgoers, the building started to fall apart. St Edward's Church closed its doors in 1963.
Church services were then moved back to the old St Columba's chapel on Canna. A new post office was built nearby for the islanders. In 1985, the old St Edward's Church building was given "Listed status." This means it is an important historic building that needs to be protected.
What Happened Next
After closing as a church, the building was used as a guesthouse for a while. In 2001, it was changed into a Gaelic study centre. This project cost a lot of money, about £860,000.
However, the study centre was not very successful. By 2010, reports said that it had never really been used. The building was once again getting damaged by water. By 2016, it was no longer in use at all.
Gallery
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The church under repair in 2005
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The c.1770 Catholic chapel of St Columba. A post office whilst St Edwards operated. Now once again a church
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Canna Post Office - geograph.uk - 880029.jpg
The new post office opened when the chapel reverted to its former purpose
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A view of the church taken from Canna with Rum in the background
