Websters Theatre, Glasgow facts for kids
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| Former names | Lansdowne Parish Church |
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| Address | 416, Great Western Road |
| Location | Glasgow, Scotland |
| Coordinates | 55°52′28″N 4°16′42″W / 55.874513°N 4.278454°W |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Designated: | 15 December 1970 |
| Reference #: | LB32205 |
| Construction | |
| Built | 1862–1863 |
| Opened | 1863 (as a church) 2014 (as a theatre) |
| Closed | 2014 (as a church) |
| Construction cost | £12,400 |
| Architect | John Honeyman |
| Website | |
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Websters is a cool theatre in Glasgow, Scotland. It's also a place where you can grab a bite to eat or a drink! This awesome building used to be a church called Lansdowne Parish Church. It was built a long time ago in the 1800s.
The Church's Early Days
The building started out as the Lansdowne United Presbyterian Church. It was built between 1862 and December 1863. The design was in the Neo-Gothic style. This means it looked like old Gothic churches from the Middle Ages.
The famous architect John Honeyman designed it. The whole building cost about £12,400 back then. A very tall spire was built, reaching 66.5 metres (218 feet) high. Today, this spire is a well-known landmark in Glasgow. It is also one of the slimmest spires in all of Europe!
Over the years, the church's name changed a few times. In 1900, it became Lansdowne United Free Church. Then, in 1929, it joined with the Church of Scotland. At that point, it was renamed Lansdowne Parish Church.
Beautiful Art Inside
The church was home to some amazing artworks. In 1865, three beautiful stained glass windows were put in. These were designed by a company called Ward and Hughes. More windows were added in 1873.
Later, in 1913, Alfred Webster designed even more stained glass windows. His son, Gordon Webster, added more in the 1950s. There was also a special war memorial frieze built in 1923 by Evelyn Beale. A frieze is like a long band of sculptures or paintings. In 1911, a large pipe organ was installed. It was made by a company called Norman and Beard.
From Church to Theatre
The building worked as a Parish church for the Church of Scotland until 2014. That year, the church joined with another local church. They decided to use the Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church building instead. So, the Lansdowne church building was sold.
In 2014, the building was bought and changed into a theatre. The old church halls were also turned into a bar and restaurant. The new theatre was named Websters. This name honors Alfred Webster, who designed some of the church's beautiful stained glass windows.
Websters Theatre Today
In 2017, the theatre had to close for a short time. This happened because some stone fell from the tall steeple. Luckily, it was fixed!
Today, Websters Theatre is a busy place. The main theatre can seat up to 188 people. It hosts many concerts and shows all year long. There's also a smaller Playhouse inside, which can seat 55 people. It's a great spot for entertainment in Glasgow!
