St Margaret of Scotland, Aberdeen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Margaret's, Gallowgate |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Language(s) | English |
| Denomination | Scottish Episcopal Church |
| Churchmanship | Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | https://stmargaretsgallowgate.org.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Margaret of Scotland |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Aberdeen & Orkney |
St Margaret of Scotland, also known as St Margaret's, Gallowgate, is a special church in Aberdeen, Scotland. It belongs to the Scottish Episcopal Church, which is part of the worldwide Anglican family of churches.
Contents
History of St Margaret's Church
How the Church Started
In the mid-1800s, the Gallowgate area of Aberdeen was quite poor. Many people lived in small, crowded homes. A kind priest named Father John Comper wanted to help these communities. He was a follower of the Oxford Movement, which encouraged churches to focus more on traditional worship and helping those in need.
Father Comper felt that the church wasn't reaching the poorer people in Aberdeen. So, in 1863, he helped start a convent (a home for nuns) called the Society of Saint Margaret. Then, in 1867, he founded St Margaret's as a "mission church." This meant it was a church set up to serve a specific community, often one that needed extra support.
Building the Church and School
At first, St Margaret's was just a room Father Comper rented on the Gallowgate. But by 1870, a building that served as both a chapel (for worship) and a school was ready. Father Comper then left his other job to become the full-time priest for the new St Margaret's parish (the area the church serves).
The church sits on a high spot overlooking the city of Aberdeen. The first architect who designed parts of it was James Matthews. Over the years, more buildings were added. In 1879, a separate school was built. Later, in 1898, the St Nicholas chapel was added, and in 1906, the rectory (the priest's house) was built. These newer parts were designed by Father Comper's son, Ninian Comper, who also became a famous architect.
In 1908, a separate church hall was built by architect George Irvine. In the same year, Ninian Comper added the aisle (a walkway) and a beautiful oak screen inside the church.
Beautiful Stained-Glass Windows
St Margaret's Church has many colourful stained-glass windows. These windows show different religious stories and symbols. Some of them were also designed by Ninian Comper.
One special window on the North wall of the St Nicholas Chapel is dedicated to the Sea Cadets. It shows the symbols of the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney (the church's region) and the City of Aberdeen. The window also has words like "the sea is thy mirror" from a poem and "deep calleth unto deep" from the Bible. In the middle, there's an ichthys, which is a fish symbol that early Christians used to represent "Jesus Christ, God, Son, Saviour."
Today, St Margaret's Church is recognized as a "Category B" building by Historic Environment Scotland. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Worship at St Margaret's
The way people worship at St Margaret's is called "Anglo-Catholic" or "High church" tradition. This means the services are very traditional and often include special robes, incense, and music.
Every Sunday, there is a main service called Parish Mass at 10:30 AM. There are also shorter services called Low Mass on Tuesday mornings at 8 AM and 10 AM. St Margaret's is one of the few churches in Scotland that regularly holds a Gaelic Mass, which is a service spoken in the Scottish Gaelic language. This happens on the first Saturday of every month at midday.
