St Mungo's Parish Church facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mungo's Parish Church, Alloa
St Mungo's Parish Church, Bedford Place, Alloa, Clackmannanshire
Location	Alloa
Denomination	Church of Scotland
Website	http://www.stmungosparish.org.uk
History
Dedication	Saint Mungo
Architecture
Architect(s)	James Gillespie Graham
Style	Gothic with louth-spire
Completed	1819
Specifications
Capacity	700 (1561 when built)
Length	124ft (38 m)
Width	73ft (22 m)
Spire height	207ft (63 m)
Administration
Presbytery	Presbytery of Stirling

St Mungo's Parish Church is a beautiful church building located in Alloa, Scotland. It is named after Saint Mungo, who is the patron saint of Glasgow. This church belongs to the Church of Scotland, which is a type of Christian church.

The church you see today was built a long time ago, in 1819. Before that, there was an older church building on a different spot. That old church was built around 1680, but it became too small and unsafe. People even had to hold services outside sometimes! So, a new, bigger church was needed. The Erskine family kindly gave the land for the new church at Bedford Place. Building started in 1817, and the new St Mungo's Church was ready in 1819. It was one of the biggest churches in Scotland when it was first built.

The Church Building

Design and Features

The current St Mungo's Church was designed by a famous architect named James Gillespie Graham. He created it in a style called neo-perpendicular Gothic. This means it looks like old Gothic churches but with a modern twist for its time.

The church has a rectangular shape. It has small square towers at each corner. The most amazing part is its tall, pointed spire, which is 207 feet (63 meters) high! This spire is called a "louth-spire" because its design was inspired by an old church in Louth, England. The spire is supported by smaller towers and flying arches, making it look very grand. The main tower also has a clock with four faces and a large, clear-sounding bell.

Construction and Opening

Many people worked together to build the church. John Smith of Alloa was in charge of the construction. Robert Cock and his sons did the roof work, and Thomas Whitehead painted the inside. The Earl of Mar, a local noble, paid for the decorative railings around the church.

The first stone of the church was laid on February 24, 1817. The church officially opened on June 20, 1819. It was designed to hold 1561 people. About 2500 people attended the opening, which was more than half of Alloa's population at the time! The first baby baptized in the new church was John Francis Erskine.

The total cost to build the church was about £7000. Lady Charlotte Erskine left £1200 in her will to help pay for it. She also wanted 246 seats to be added, with 60 of them reserved for people who couldn't afford to pay. The spire was paid for by many people donating money. To save money, some of the stones from the old church were reused in the new building.

Changes Over Time

Just two years after it opened, the church had a problem with dry rot inside. The architect suggested filling the space under the seats with gravel and paving the floor, which was done in 1824.

Later, in 1931, the church received a large gift of £1000. The church leaders decided to use this money for a big renovation to make the inside more modern and comfortable. Architect Leslie Grahame Thomson MacDougall created the plans. The work began on December 6, 1936, and the church reopened on October 16, 1937.

During this renovation, the old galleries (balconies) were removed, making the church much brighter. A new entrance porch was added, creating more seating. The roof was repaired and given a new wooden ceiling. The floor was replaced, and a new heating system was installed. New items like a pulpit (where the minister speaks), a font (for baptisms), and a lectern (for reading) were also added. More improvements, including a new chancel (the area around the altar) and other rooms, were completed in 1967.

Stained Glass Windows

St Mungo's Church has several beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were put in to remember important people.

• The Good Shepherd window (1896) remembers William Duncan Bruce and his wife.
• The Te Deum window (1901) remembers Alexander Bryson, who was a minister at the church from 1870 to 1900.
• The Gethsemane window (1910) remembers the wife of James Brown.
• In 1991, a window called "Fisher of Men" was installed. It remembers Peter Phillip Brodie, who was a minister from 1947 to 1986 and also a very important leader in the Church of Scotland.

In 1972, St Mungo's Church was recognized as a Category B listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.

List of Ministers

Here is a list of the ministers who have served at St Mungo's Parish Church, both the old and new buildings:

• 2011–present: Sang Y. Cha BTH MTH News article: BBC 'Hollywood to Alloa for Kirk minister Sang Cha' (2011)
• 1994–2011: Alan F.M. Downie MA BD Obituary: Johnston Press (2010)
• 1986–1994: Keith Ferrier Hall BD
• 1947–1986: Peter Philip Brodie MA BD LLB DD, also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1978–1979 News article: Glasgow Herald 'Dr. Brodie to be next Moderator' (1977)
• 1929–1946: James Pitt Watson DD, also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1953–1954 News article: Glasgow Herald 'Alloa Minister in Motor Accident' (1931), Obituary: Glasgow Herald (1962)
• 1927–1929: Alexander Macdonald DD, also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1948 News article: Glasgow Herald 'Moderator's Plea at Rally' (1948), News article: London Gazette 'The Procession of Her Majesty The Queen' (1953)
• 1919–1927: Robert John Thomson MA BD
• 1911–1919: Augustine Waitworth Scudamore Forbes MA BD
• 1901–1911: Lauchlan Maclean Watt MA BD DD also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1933–1934 Obituary: Newburgh News (1957), Publications: List of books and poetry
• 1870–1900: Alexander Bryson News article: Edinburgh Gazette 'Whitehall' (1870)
• 1863–1869: William Shaw MA News article: Edinburgh Gazette 'Whitehall' (1862)
• 1828–1862: Peter Brotherston DD News article: Edinburgh Gazette 'Whitehall' (1828)
• 1803–1828: James Maxton Obituary (The Gentleman's Magazine), 1828
• 1760–1803: James Frame MA Graduate Record: University of Glasgow (1746)
• 1753–1760: James Fordyce DD Graduate record: University of Glasgow (1760), Publications: List of sermons including Sermons to Young Women which is mentioned in Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
• 1750–1753: James Syme MA
• 1736–1749: James Gordon MA also Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, 1734
• 1726–1735: John Taylor MA
• 1704–1724: John Logan
• 1690–1699: George Turnbull, also son of George Turnbull, Philosopher and Theologian
• 1664–1689: James Wright MA
• 1626–1664: John Craigengelt MA
• 1589–1624: James Duncanson MA Publication: Letter to King James (1604)

Gallery

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  St Mungo's Parish Church, Alloa