SACRED
HEART ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH
50-56, Old Dalmarnock Road, Bridgeton
When
the village of Bridgeton was established in 1776 it soon attracted a number of
the newly developing industries. Drawn
by the prospects of employment in the factories, the village became host to an
influx of Catholic Highlanders - victims of the Clearances.
This group, mostly Macdonnells from Glengarry, was the first significant
number of Catholics to take up residence in the Glasgow vicinity since the
Reformation, and provided its first resident priest since that time - Father
Alexander Macdonnell. Tied by
language and social customs, the Macdonnells formed an enclave in Bridgeton
which was to take and retain the nickname of "Glengarry" long after
the Highlanders had moved on or been assimilated.
Bridgeton later
formed part of the greater Parish of St. Mary's in Abercromby Street, but in
1873 the Sacred Heart Mission to the district was established under Father Peter
Noonan and a wooden church built in what is now Old Dalmarnock Road.
Later, in 1890 when the Mission became
a Rectory, the presbytery by Pugin & Pugin was built adjoining the church.
Devotion to the Sacred Heart began about the year 1674 after Jesus appeared to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque and explained the practice he wished undertaken. The original parish boundaries of the Bridgeton Mission were extensive, being Bridgeton Cross and James Street to the west, Glasgow Green to the south, London Road to the north and Tollcross Burn at Dalbeth to the east.
The original church was replaced in 1909-10 with a Roman basilica by the Belgian, Charles J. Menart - indicative of the Italianate influences on church architecture of the period. This "A" listed building is in rock-faced, red sandstone with a giant Diocletian window in its eastern façade, between giant Ionic pilasters supporting a pedimented gable. There are flanking stair towers and a triple arched entrance. Three statues adorn this front - the central, elevated, figure of Christ with representations of St. Patrick to the left and St. Andrew to the right. Beneath these is the inscription “Cordi Jesu Sacrum” (Sacred Heart of Jesus).
The Sacred Heart has an equally ornate and highly colourful interior, with the nave made up of three large bays with composite columns in marble and plaster pilasters. Light floods the interior from the 6 clearstorey Diocletian windows.
The ceiling is now partly barrel-vaulted as a result of major structural repairs undertaken by Gillespie, Kidd & Coia from 1953-54. As part of the renovation, the Stations of the Cross were painted by William Crosbie in 1954 and are on copper to protect them from the effects of damp. He also restored an original fresco by Charles Baillie. The openings between the bays high up in the nave are taken up by paintings of the four evangelists within classic niches - also produced at the time of the renovation. A similar niche with a painting depicting the Archangel Michael occupies the north wall of the apse.
To
the left of the apse is the Sacred Heart Chapel with a figure of Christ by Jack
Mortimer of 1954. To the right is
Our Lady’s Altar, a reproduction of one in Rome.
In the north wall is St. Joseph’s Altar. To the front of the church is the original Baptistry which is
now occupied by several paintings, including “The Baptism of Christ”, a
statue of the Sacred Heart taken from Pirn Street School when it closed, and a
mosaic Agnus Dei. Arrayed near Our
Lady’s Altar at this time are statues of St. Patrick, St. Therese of Lisieux,
St. Catherine Laboure and St. Anthony of Padua.
Mounted
upon a marble cross on the front of the pulpit is a metal crucifix.
This, with other Catholic objects, was found by a local man during the
Great War while he was digging a trench. He
kept it in his tunic for safekeeping and later, during an engagement he was hit
by enemy fire. He was not injured and upon examination of the crucifix he
found that the feet had deflected the bullet, possibly saving his life.
When he returned to Bridgeton he gave the crucifix to the Head of the
Catholic primary school, Brother Ninian, who in turn had it placed on the pulpit
- where it now takes pride of place. It
is said the marks of the bullet are visible to this day.
In the summer of 2000, the care of the parish was transferred to the Xaverian Mission Order. In January, 2004 the parish of Our Lady of Fatima, which had be established from part of that of the Sacred Heart in 1950, was reunited with it.
Rogerson, Robert W.K.C. (1986); “Jack Coia, His Life and Work.” Edinburgh, Lindsay & Co., Ltd.
www.sacredheartbridgeton.20m.com
© 2005 Gordon Adams
GALLERY:
The Lady Altar and St Joseph's Altar
Stained glass window, and a Station of the Cross
A mosaic Agnus Dei, and "The Baptism of Christ"