3 mins
A biblical connection
John R Hume outlines the history of a Glasgow church overlooking the Clyde.
JORDANHILL is today a small suburb of Glasgow, sandwiched between a railway line to the south (which separates it from Broomhill) and playing fields to the north.
To the east are the grounds of the Gartnavel hospitals, from which the suburb is separated by another railway line, and to the east are the grounds of the former Jordanhill Teacher Training College and its associated Jordanhill College School.
The area is one of small terraced houses and a few larger villas. It was until the early 20th century part of the estate of Jordanhill, which belonged to the Smith family, who had acquired it in the 1820s.
As the name suggests the parkland associated with Jordanhill House was on a fairly high hill, from which extensive views could be had over the Clyde to Govan, in whose parish the estate was situated.
Indeed the parish church of Govan (which replaced the medieval one), built in 1826 was designed by ‘James Smith of Jordanhill’, a distinguished antiquarian. When that church was in turn replaced by the present building in 1883-88 the shaft of a freestanding cross which had been preserved in the garden of Jordanhill House was moved there. This impressive piece of sculpture is decorated with interlace ornament, but its head has been lost; probably destroyed at the Reformation.
The name Jordanhill also carries with it the concept that it had connections with the Biblical River Jordan, possibly because of the views of the River Clyde that could be had from it. The existence of the crossshaft now in Govan Old Parish Church (presumably originally sited on the hill) is probably evidence of that association.
With the development of Jordanhill as a residential area came a need for churches. The Smith family had built in the later 19th century a Scottish Episcopal Church further north to serve the mining settlements, and this was replaced in 1904 by a new church in Woodend Drive, the present All Saints Episcopal Church. By that time a Church of Scotland place of worship had been constructed, in 1900, further along Woodend Drive, and it is this building which is the subject of this article.
Like All Saints it was built of red sandstone, and was designed by James Miller. As built it was a modest structure with a short pinnacled tower on its south-east corner (with the entrance through its base), and a large perpendicular west window. In 1921-23 a wide west aisle and gallery (and an organ) were added, probably on account of the building of the training college and school, both completed in the early 1920s.
A ‘Memorial Hall’ (presumably a War Memorial) was also built as part of this programme of expansion. This was extended in 1971. The interior of the worship space was reordered in 1980 by Wylie Shanks. The church complex resulting from these alterations is very well-equipped for the needs of the parish.
The Jordanhill Teacher Training College merged with the University of Strathclyde several years ago. The college and its grounds are currently being developed for housing, with the original college building being flatted. The College School is being retained, and has an excellent reputation, making its catchment area very desirable for families. The expansion of housing on the college estate is therefore likely to result in the expansion of the parish church congregation.
In conclusion, my wife and I were married in Jordanhill in 1965, by the Rev JM Orr, who also baptised our first two sons. I was an Elder and a Sunday School teacher there for several years until Sunday morning bus services were withdrawn, and, to my great regret, I had to move to a church within walking distance from my home. ¤
This article appears in the December 2021 Issue of Life and Work
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This article appears in the December 2021 Issue of Life and Work