Glasgow churches: Hyndland
After my last post about churches, several people commented that they liked the “gargoyley things” and I said I had more. Those below are from Hyndland Parish Church, a few minutes walk from my home. Strictly speaking they are grotesques, a gargoyle being a sub-category of grotesque which has a water spout. I can only see one of those for sure.
This church was built in the Neo-Gothic style, on designs by William Leiper, between 1886 and 1887. A few years ago it was renamed The Kingsborough Sanctuary when the Church of Scotland parishes of Hyndland and Broomhill merged and the Broomhill church became the main place of worship.
A near neighbour on Hyndland Road is St Bride’s Scottish Episcopal Church, part of the world-wide Anglican communion. This building is slightly later, early 1900s, and has no grotesques, though the carving is still interesting. The architect was George Frederick Bodley, of whom I have never heard, although apparently he is a well known church architect.
Around the corner on Westbourne Gardens is Struthers Memorial Church, an Independent Pentecostal Fellowship founded in the 1950s. The Italian Renaissance style building was designed in 1880 by famous architect John Honeyman, who would later employ Charles Rennie Mackintosh. It was originally known as the Belhaven-Westbourne Free Church, then became the Great Western Road Free Church, and finally changed to Struthers.
I have many more churches in my lockdown walks file, but this will do for now. Three churches, three different denominations, and three different architectural styles all within a stone’s throw of each other.
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Such amazing architecture. Yet it also shows the obscene wealth of churches that they were able to create such monuments to themselves over the centuries.
Jude
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It does! The standard of building is just incredible.
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I am all about Gothic and love the grotesques. I have a book about the meanings of grotesques and wish to read it again. Churches and cathedrals offer so much artistic richness.
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They do indeed! Sounds an interesting book.
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Hi Anabel – fascinating three churches – architecture reflects so much … and gives us eras to think about. Thanks for mentioning Bodley … great photos too – the grotesques fascinate me too. Thanks – wonderful – all the best – Hilary
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Thanks, Hilary, glad you found it interesting.
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Every church has its own style, how intriguing to find this trio so close to each other though! I’ve started looking much more closely at local churches since I discovered champing. It’s easy to see the big picture and an impressive building but breaking down the details is intriguing too.
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I agree, lockdown has certainly given me an eye for the detail.
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Fabulous interesting post. I love buildings. Photography is great. Thank you. Have a great day. Elizabeth x
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Thank you! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
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Did you know that grotesque is literally grotto-esque? You can read the details at:
https://www.etymonline.com/word/grotesque
Gargoyle is historically almost the same word as gargle. A gargoyle is named after the figure’s throat, through which water passes.
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I did not know either of those things! Thanks for the info.
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Always up for more grotesques/gargoyles! I find the human faces slightly unsettling, but I love the dragons/assorted beasts.
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That can be a bit creepy. Some of these are actually really tiny, but they look more substantial in the photographs.
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Another fascinating tour of the local environs Anabel! The history is so interesting 🙂
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Thanks! I’m learning a lot that I didn’t know because I used to just walk past so many buildings without really looking. I think I’ve been more observant, and more inclined to look up the history of places, since I started blogging, and successive lockdowns have increased that tendency.
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It’s an interesting byproduct of an unfortunate situation I guess – more time confined locally and you notice things you wouldn’t have done before. I also research a lot before posting – always so much to learn!
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There’s so much more to see with old buildings like this. New buildings are just so clinical and boring in comparison.
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True, though I have a couple of more modern churches in my collection that are exceptions.
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We were travelling in Europe almost 20 years ago, and I, too, recall the gargoyley things. Frightening and fascinating at the same time. Canada does not even come close to the architecture and history you share here. Interesting about gargoyles and grotesques. I googled to learn even more. Thank you for making history fun, Anabel.
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I suppose you could consider these as fakes in a way, as they are a common medieval feature, but it’s interesting to see the Victorians reviving the Gothic style so much.
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These churches are beautiful. I love all those carved features. They would have some tales to tell if they could talk! Thanks for finding them–and for the lesson about gargoyles and grotesques. Your librarian training is coming to good use! 😉
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Once a librarian, always a librarian!
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well I have learnt something today, never knew that about gargoyles and grotesques – fascinating
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Every day a school day!
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I reckon the stonemasons must have had fun creating all these figures.
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I bet they did!
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You are lucky to have such a variety so close to home!
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I am, but even the variety gets old eventually, Ann. Itching to escape!
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Yup, I definitely need to travel again soon (we ALL do)! I desperately miss walks like this! Thanks for indulging your readers with more “gargoyley things”!
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I hear you! And we in Glasgow have been further confined this week, so this is all I have at the moment.
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Scottish churches seem to have so much character and are always pretty impressive. Look like they’ve been there forever. We love an old church and of course an old graveyard. So much history.
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They certainly do! It amazes me that these three large churches just around the corner from each other would once have been necessary and full every Sunday.
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Some of my favourite local architects…apart from that leaky roof, poured white concrete upstart Mackintosh of course :o)
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Well, if I keep going with church posts I will get to him eventually!
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Great pictures. And I never realised a gargoyle was defined by its waterspout!
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You live and learn! I think I found out on a visit to Notre Dame many years ago.
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Very handsome structures. Their designs stand the test of time.
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I agree, they do.
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I only go into churches as a tourist, but I do enjoy the architecture! I see your blog has a new look. Very nice and tidy.
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Me too, though of course it’s difficult to do these days. Yes, I have a new blog theme. It still needs a bit of tweaking, but I’m happy with it overall.
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Most interesting and pleased you’ve come up with more gargoyles and grotesques, Anabel.
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Thanks, Sue, happy to oblige! As I said, I have lots more churches but I think I might have run out of grotesques now.
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Fair enough!
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I like the parish church entrance and the cute grotesque in the third small picture.
George Frederick Bodley designed and created St. Augustine’s church which I featured on my own blog in early February this year, it seems he was a very remarkable and well respected man. It would be interesting to see the interior features of St. Bride’s to see how they compare with St. Augustine’s
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I read that, but didn’t remember the name of the architect. St Bride’s is actually the only one of these three churches that I have been into, but it was so long ago that I can’t remember anything about the interior. John’s brother used to be a member and we went to a Christmas service with him one year.
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