St John the Evangelist's Church, Greenock facts for kids

St John the Evangelist's Church is a special church located in Greenock, Scotland. You can find it on Union Street in Greenock, which is in Inverclyde. This church is part of the Scottish Episcopal Church, which is a branch of the worldwide Anglican Christian family. It is still an active place of worship today. The church is also recognized as a Category B listed building by Historic Environment Scotland. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.

History of St John's Church

The first church building on this spot was built way back in 1824. By the 1870s, people realized they needed a bigger church. So, they decided to replace the old one.

Designing the New Church

A competition was held to find the best design for the new church. However, none of the designs were quite right. The local priest, Reverend Julius Lloyd, suggested a famous architecture firm called Paley and Austin from Lancaster, England. They were chosen to design the new church. St John's Church is actually the only church in Scotland designed by this particular firm.

Building and Opening the Church

Building work began in 1877. The church was officially finished and opened on November 28, 1878. The whole project cost a bit more than £7,000 back then. That would be like spending about equivalent to £490,000 in 2021 today! A very generous person named Sir Michael Shaw-Stewart, 7th Baronet gave £1,500 towards the cost. He also donated land so the church could be built on a larger area.

Later Additions to the Church

Later, in 1890, the same architects (whose firm was then called Paley, Austin and Paley) designed special wooden seats called stalls for the church. Around 1897 or 1898, the firm, now known as Austin and Paley, was asked to design an extra room called a vestry. This room is often used by priests to get ready for services.

Architecture and Design

The church is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style was popular in the 1800s and looks back to the grand churches of the Middle Ages.

Key Parts of the Church

The church has a main area called the nave. This part has four sections, or "bays," and a clerestory. A clerestory is a row of windows high up on the walls, letting in lots of light. There's also a chancel, which is the area near the altar, and a small chapel. At the southeast corner of the church, there's a tower with a pointed roof covered in slate.

Inside the Church

Inside, the main walkways, called arcades, are supported by columns. These columns switch between being eight-sided and round. The beautiful screen that separates the nave from the chancel is called a rood screen. It was designed by H. O. Tarbolton. The font, which is used for baptisms, is a copy of an old font from the 1400s found in Suffolk, England. The church also has a large pipe organ that was built by J. and A. Mirrlees from Glasgow.

See also

• List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
• List of listed buildings in Greenock