SHETTLESTON
FREE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND (CONTINUING)
97, Wellshot Road, Shettleston
This Shettleston church was built in
1910 to accommodate those members of the Free Church of Scotland who felt unable
to accompany their fellows into the union with the United Presbyterian Church of
1900. The new congregation, which
considers itself to be “a Presbyterian body adhering in full to the
foundational subordinate standards of the old Established Church of Scotland,”
was derived
mainly from those Free churches which went on to become the Sandyhills, Carntyne
Old and Victoria Tollcross Churches of Scotland.
Given that it was the only continuing Free congregation in quite a wide
area, it also derived membership from other Free churches both nearer and
further afield. Only a few of the
present congregation are originally Free Church members however, the rest of the
approximately 30 strong body transferred membership from other denominations and faiths.
The building itself is essentially a very simple structure both externally and internally, reflecting the views of the denomination which considers unnecessary decoration as a distraction. Nonetheless, the rendered brickwork of the rest of the building is supplemented by the simplified Gothic revival façade to the west gable. This has some decorative features which are intrinsic to the style. The main gable in red sandstone has a trio of tall lancet windows, with plain glass. To the south, entry to the church is gained through an adjoining porch in the shape of a low and embattled square tower, pieced by an arched doorway, and buttressed at its western corners.
Internally, the windows to the north
are rectangular with plain glass. There
is a lovely open timber roof, and some panelling behind the pulpit. There was a sounding board above the pulpit at one time, but
this has been removed. Such
woodwork as is within reach has been heavily painted, although the pews are
finished in a traditional heavy, dark varnish.
The fabric and décor of the church is in need of repair and renovation and the congregation hope to undertake this as soon as a sympathetic plan can be formulated. The wiring would appear to be original and there was been water ingress at the roof. The two back rooms to the east are separated from the main body of the church by a partition wall. They are currently used for Session meetings and for general storage, but are generally inadequate for use. An interesting feature are the original fireplaces, at an adjoining corner, which rise into a double chimney stack.
The congregation is no longer in need all of the space available to it within the main body of the church, and a decision has been reached to reduce this by bringing the interior partition wall and pulpit forwards by about 20 feet. This will increase the available space behind it for a larger meeting room, without compromising that required for worship.
There was a Memorial Hall built c.1950 to the south of the main building to commemorate the fallen of two World Wars. It was a wooden structure which had served its purpose but which had decayed beyond repair and was recently demolished. The hall was tripped of any useful artifacts in anticipation of this, including a mural of the Reformation by Alan Wilson. It is hoped that this will find a new home within the renovated church.
Reconstitution of the Free Church
Magdalen Chapel, January, 2000
In 2000, the anniversary of the last split, the Free Church divided again. The church at Shettleston was among those which participated in this event, and now consider themselves to be part of the Free Church (Continuing). It is saddened that the separation could not have been undertaken more in the spirit of Christian fellowship, rather than with the acrimony which has attend such disputes in the past and which seems to be accompanying the present one too. Incidents taking place throughout the country do not shown the Church in a very favourable light and are far too reminiscent of the unhappy times of previous disagreements.
As in the previous separation, there is conflict with regard to the rights to the property of the Church. Vigorous and confrontational efforts were made to displace the Shettleston congregation from their accommodation, but these were successfully opposed. The matter of which body constitutes the true continuing Free Church is yet again before the courts.
© 2005 Gordon Adams
