Strathbungo Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Strathbungo Parish Church |
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| General information | |
| Status | Residential Flats |
| Architectural style | Romanesque and Scots Gothic style (facade and steeple) |
| Address | 605, Pollokshaws Rd |
| Town or city | Glasgow |
| Country | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°50′16″N 4°16′06″W / 55.837656°N 4.268316°W |
| Groundbreaking | October 1887 (church) 2005 (flats) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John McKissack |
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Listed Building – Category B
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| Designated: | 15 December 1970 |
| Reference #: | LB32397 |
Strathbungo Parish Church was a special building in Glasgow, Scotland. It was built a long time ago in the 1800s. It used to be a church for the Church of Scotland. Today, it's not a church anymore. Most of the old building was changed into homes in 2006. But don't worry, the beautiful front part and the tall bell tower are still there!
The First Church Building
The area of Strathbungo is in the south of Glasgow. Long ago, it was part of a bigger church area called Govan Parish. In 1833, people decided that Strathbungo needed its own church.
So, plans were made to build one. The first church was built between 1839 and 1840. A famous architect named Charles Wilson designed it. It cost about £1300 to build, which was a lot of money back then! In 1848, Reverend Alexander Sutherland became the first minister of this church.
Building the Second Church
Strathbungo became its own independent parish in 1879. This meant it needed a new, bigger church. Plans for a new church started in 1883.
John McKissack designed the new church. It was built right where the old church stood. The first stone for the new building was laid in October 1887. Many stones from the old church were reused to build the new one. This new church opened its doors on October 7, 1888.
The church was built in a cool style. It mixed Romanesque and Scots Gothic designs. It also had a special Crown steeple on top. Inside the church, there was a memorial for people from the area who died in WWI. This memorial is now at Queen's Park Govanhill Parish Church.
What Happened to the Church?
By the 1970s, fewer and fewer people were coming to Strathbungo Parish Church. So, in May 1979, the church closed its doors for good. It was later sold.
Over time, the building became empty and started to fall apart. It was almost completely destroyed. But in 2005, a group called Southside Housing Association bought the site. They decided to build new homes there.
They knocked down the main part of the church building, but they kept the beautiful front and the tall steeple. The new homes were finished by May 2006. So, today, the old church building is now a set of modern flats, but it still has its historic look!