Church Overview

Built as St Mark’s Church, between 1868 and 1869, the church was purchased in 1984 by the Gate Christian Fellowship and is today known locally as “The Gate”. It was designed by architect Frederick Thomas Pilkington, of the firm Pilkington and Bell, and extended southward in 1879 by local architects Ireland and MacLaren.

Its ornate, Victorian High Gothic revival, sandstone exterior is dominated by the tower and spire at its north-east corner. While the rest of the building displays a wealth of ornate stone carving across its faces, above the shoulder-arched door in pointed porch to east, the advanced gablet to north, with 2-light window and hexafoil rose, and the impressively wide north elevation, with its elaborate centre piece and paired pointed-arched doorways. Its three original, pointed arch, external doors are also embellished with ornate carvings and ironwork.

The interior retains its U-plan gallery, held aloft on stout masonry and timber, twisted barley-sugar, columns. Slim cast-iron columns at the gallery level carry the striking hammerbeam roof above. Pilkington’s original ornate bowed timber pulpit and organ case, with many of his original pews and light fittings are still to be see along with stained glass windows that were inserted between 1897 and 1903, by noted Pre-Raphaelite stained glass designer Stephen Adam of Glasgow.

Services

Sunday at 11.00 am

Opening Arrangements

Monday – Friday 9.30 am – 5.30 pm

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.