John R Hume traces the roots of a west coast seaside church.
SKELMORLIE, on the west coast of North Ayrshire, was developed from the 1840s as a location for ‘marine villas’ by the Earl of Eglinton, owner of the Skelmorlie estate.
This land came into the hands of the Montgomeries of Eglinton in 1820, as a result of a marriage with one of the Montgomeries of Skelmorlie. Both families had distinguished histories, and Sir Robert Montgomerie is remembered today for building in 1636 a burial aisle attached to the old parish church of Largs. This survived the demolition of the old church as the ‘Skelmorlie Aisle’ now a monument in the care of Scottish Ministers, and looked after by Historic Environment Scotland. The exterior of this aisle is simple and pleasing. The inside is, however, glorious, with painted ceiling decoration and a richly-carved stone family pew above the burial vault, and is well worth visiting.
When the Skelmorlie estate passed to the Earl of Eglinton Skelmorlie Castle was its principal feature.
The first of the new ‘marine villas’ were constructed on the raised beach bordering the Firth of Clyde. In 1865 the Wemyss Bay Railwaywas opened to a terminus immediately to the north of the growing Skelmorlie, providing a direct link with Glasgow. This ease of access led to the development of upper Skelmorlie on the top of the cliff which rises above the raised beach.
The first established church in the nascent village was built in 1854, and was designed to serve both Skelmorlie and Wemyss Bay. The site was chosen by Admiral Montgomerie, and the building was erected under the supervision of a group consisting of the Admiral, James Scott, Esq, of Kelly and W Brown of Wemyss. This building survives as the church hall, on the left in my drawing. When it was built Skelmorlie was considered a suburb of Largs, and the church was a ‘chapel of ease’ of Largs Parish.
In 1885 a United Presbyterian church (now a house) was built at the north end of the village, and it was probably in response to this that the Church of Scotland decided to construct the present building. The architect chosen was John Honeyman, of the Glasgow firm of Honeyman and Keppie. Honeyman had a house in Skelmorlie, which he used as a base for his hobby of yachting, and had earlier designed several houses in the village. He adopted, in the design of the church (built in 1893-95), the 13th century English Gothic style he later used in his restoration of Brechin Cathedral. He made the entrance in the base of the tower, with the nave to the south, and a small but well-defined chancel. To the left of the entrance is a wrought-iron lamp-standard, which was probably designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh, an apprenticein Honeyman and Keppie’s office while the church was being built.
The interior of the church is richlydetailed, with fine furnishings designed by William Gibson Brown, and some superb stained-glass windows by distinguished artists including William Guthrie, John Honeyman, Stephen Adam and Sons, Morris and Co and CE Kempe. It was, therefore, as built entirely suited to a rich middle-class marine suburb of Glasgow, in scale, architectural design and interior treatment.
Since the late 19th century the social composition of Skelmorlie has inevitably changed, but as my drawing shows the church building remains a distinguished and very nicely-composed feature of this stretch of the coast of the Firth of Clyde. It is more than that, however, for it is testimony to the strength of Christian belief that characterised many, probably most, Victorian business and professional West of Scotland men. The present congregation is the result of a union with that of the former United Presbyterian church. Honeyman’s church is still a muchvalued focal point in this very attractive seaside place.