The road to St. Andrew's ... as promised ...

After two days in a row in the West End headed back into the city centre again today. Well too much time in the West End makes you soft :)

If you have been following this blog then you will remember me meeting Rosie the dog and her owner Lyndsay on my tour around Glasgow Green. Lyndsay had recommended I have a look at St. Andrews in the Square and I promised I would. Since it is open to the public on Thursdays I decided to got there today. A promise is a promise. And was glad I did as it is stunning. However ended up finding more than one St. Andrew's...

This is St. Andrew's in the Square. Work started in building this church in 1739 and was completed in 1754. It's was based upon St. Martins in the Field in Lindon. Bonnie Prince Charlie's troops camped around the half built church during their march south in 1745. Once completed it was in continous use as a church for almost 240 years until 1993 when it was handed over to the Glasgow Building Preservation Trust. The building now has the cafe/bar Cafe Source in the basement and the main hall is a venue that is used for music, dancing and private functions.

There was actually a wedding rehearsal going on today when I was there which was an extra wee touch that made it special. Suppose it made me have flashbacks of my own wedding rehearsal a number of years ago now. :) Think I heard that their wedding was tomorrow so wish them good fortune in their life ahead together. They certainly picked a fantastic venue for the wedding!!


This is the view down the church from the balcony. You can see how it has been beautifully restored with the gilded detail on the roof and the stained glass windows at the far end. This is no gloomy church. Natural light floods into the room.


Closer view of the gilding on the roof.

This gilded clock is on the back wall of the church just above the balcony. Isn't it splendid.

And a closer look at the beautiful stained glass windows above the pulpit.
What a superbly restored building. I just loved how beautiful it was with all the light streaming in. Well worth a visit here. Thank you to Lyndsay.

Moving down towards Glasgow Green you find the other St. Andrew's church. St. Andrew's on the Green. This is a lovely old building built in 1750 and it also has an incredible history. This church is sometimes referred to as "the Whistling Kirk" as it was the first church to install an organ for public worship.
It is believed to be the fourth oldest church building in Glasgow, after Glasgow Cathedral, the Tron Steeple and the St. Andrew's in the Square which we visited above.

After 225 years of continuous service as a church it was closed in 1975 and became a target for vandals. In 1985, Christian Action (Glasgow) Housing Trust bought the church for the sum of £1 in order to convert it into an office. After a lot of funding raising the church was restored in 1989.
In June 2003 when it became the new headquarters of the Glasgow Association for Mental Health which it is today.

Read below for a fuller history:
http://www.gamh.org.uk/GAMHStAndrews.html

And here is the pub just along the road taking it's name from St. Andrew's on the Green's nickname.

And here is the third St Andrew's I visited today. It is St.Andrew's Catholic Cathedral in Clyde Street. This is one of four Cathedrals in Glasgow. Yes four. The other three are Glasgow Cathedral (Church of Scotland), St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral and Greek Orthodox Cathedral of St Luke.
On December 22nd 1816, Holy Mass was celebrated for the first time here, it became a cathedral in 1884 and is still a vibrant church to this day.
It is a lovely building overlooking the River Clyde.

This is the link to a full history of this other Glasgow cathedral:
http://www.cathedralg1.org/

Glad I decided to go looking for all the St. Andrew's churches today. They all have their own special histories and although all very different they are all lovely buildings.

Well worth a visiting them all if you down near this area.

Be well, be happy!!

P.S. The sharp eyed amongst you may find a Glasgow "The Day" continuity problem above!! The clock inside St. Andrew's says 12.05 but the one outside says 5.20.
Well I cheated a wee bit today. The way the misty sun was shining at 12.05 I just couldn't get a nice photo of the steeple so after doing my job hunt duties at Cadogan Street actually popped back down and took the outside photo. Glad I did because wanted to show this spectacular building in all it's glory.

And I'd have gotten away with it if it wasn't for you pesky kids!!! :)