a Church Overview

This church is architect Frederick T Pilkington’s greatest achievement, called the Barclay Church after Mary Barclay whose legacy paid for its building. Originally built for the Free Church of Scotland, it was completed in 1864 and makes the best use of a restricted site, soaring upwards with tiered galleries, giving space not available at ground level.

It originally had seating for 1,200 and its vertical emphasis comes from clustered gables and a 250-ft steeple, which is now a beloved local landmark soaring, as it does, above the streetscape and adjacent greenspace of Bruntsfield Links. Pilkington used stone to great effect: the large roughly cut blocks of stone of the arches contrast with delicate carved foliage in the column capitals. Spectacular heart-shaped theatrical interior with two tiers of galleries and a painted ceiling (by James Clark). The vibrant colours give an overall effect of richness and the eye is drawn upwards to the roof: a dramatic fusion of king- and queen-post construction.

Halls were added in 1891 by architect Sydney Mitchell, complementing Pilkington’s original designs and constructed with matching stone. The 1896 pipe organ was made by R Hope-Jones and reconstructed by Lewis and then Hilsdon, its case is by Sydney Mitchell. The marble pulpit by Pilkington holds a prominent position under the eye-catching organ pipes.

The Barclay congregation united with the congregation of the nearby Viewforth church in 2009 to form Barclay Viewforth Church. Currently working towards a union with Craiglockhart, Polwarth and St Michael’s Churches. The building also hosts the Edinburgh Chinese Christian Church.

Services

Sundays: 10.30am and 7pm (meet in the church on Sunday evenings at 6.30pm for tea and cake before service).

Opening Arrangements

Open by arrangement

Disclaimer

The information about churches in Scotland’s Churches Scheme has been provided by the congregations or taken from the Historic Scotland list and published sources, in particular, the Buildings of Scotland volumes and the RIAS Illustrated Architectural Guides. To contact this specific church please complete the Contact this Church form above. The information is not authoritative; please contact Scotland’s Churches Trust to let us know of any errors or omissions.