The Churches of Britain and Ireland

The Churches of Britain and Ireland

Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire

Howard Richter has compiled a list of vanished churches, for which historic photos or illustrations would be welcome (there may be others churches both current and demolished he hasn't found evidence for).
They are :- Wellington Street United Presbyterian at NS 430 385, and demolished before 1896; Henderson Free Church at NS 4295 3833, still in existence in 1896; Clerk's Lane Church (Evangelical Union) at NS 4292 3804 which shows on the 1859 OS map; Reformed Presbyterian Church at NS 4287 3777 on Mill Lane, and which shows as a U.F. Church on the 1910 map, and was still extant for the 1937-8 map; Independent Church on Mill Lane at NS 4289 3774, still extant in 1937-8; King Street U.P. on St. Marnock's Street and King Street at NS 428 377, built before 1859, and still showing on the 1963 map; Princes Street U.P. on Princes Street at NS 4289 3763, also built before 1859, and still showing on the 1963 map; and Free St. Andrew's (which has an entry below - see "The site of St. Andrew's Free Church on Fowlds Street").

Ayrshire Central Masjid (Al-Huda Educational Society) on Hill Street. NS 427 386. © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Baptist Church on Fowlds Street. Another view. From old maps, Howard Richter suggests a building date of between 1859 and 1896. NS 429 376. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Central Evangelical Church (Independent) on John Finnie Street at NS 427 380. It pre-dates 1938, when it shows on a map of that year. © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Church of God on Bonnyton Road, aka Bonnyton Hall. Howard Richter advises that the 1937-8 OS map shows this building (or one of similar dimensions) in the same place, marked as "Misn. Hall". Another view. NS 4188 3835. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on New Street and Witchknowe Road. Another view. NS 431 361. Both © Martin Richter (2013).

Elim Hall on Cuthbert Place. Ca. NS 431 386. © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

The former Grange Free Church (1879) on Woodstock Street. Another view. An interior view is available here (external website). The congregation merged with Laigh West High Church in 2009 to form New Laigh Kirk (see news item). The church and church hall are both for sale or let as of 2013. NS 425 379. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link. Some church history. Grade B listed.

Holy Trinity (Episcopal, 1857) on Portland Road and Dundonald Road. Another view. NS 426 377. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2. Link3 (news item recording the 150th anniversary). Link4. Link5 (numerous photos). Grade A listed (the Notes section has some interesting background).

Howard Centre (1970-1) on Portland Road, previously Howard St. Andrew's Parish Church (CoS). As their website says "owned and facilitated by Church of Scotland but open to all". NS 426 378. © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2.
It was built on the site of a United Presbyterian Church (Portland Road Burgher) which was opened in 1859. This in it's turn was successor to a church on Wellington Street (1772, re-built 1807). More on these here and here. The UP church building may be visible in the first aerial view here; Portland Road is the conspicuous one running from bottom left to the middle of the photo, and the church (described as "Byzantine" in one of the sources linked to), is probably the 3rd building down from the centre crossroads, on the left.

Kay Park Parish Church (CoS, 1907) was formed from the congregations of Henderson and Old High Parish Churches in 2012. NS 431 380. © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2. Grade C(S) listed.

Kilmarnock Gospel Trust on Melville Street at NS 436 377. © Martin Richter (2013).

Kilmarnock South Parish Church (CoS) on Whatriggs Road. This was previously St. Ninian, and was re-named following the closure of Shortless (below) and the merger of the congregations in 2012. Another view. NS 435 358. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses on Craigie Place, at NS 426 359. © Martin Richter (2013). News item.

The Laigh Kirk (CoS), though of medieval foundation, only dates from 1802. It was re-built following on from the Laigh Kirk Tragedy of 1801, when some 30 people died - see here. Parts of the tower are from the older building. There's a little history on the information plaque. See also Grange Free Church (above). Another view. NS 428 379. All © Martin Richter (2013). Another view, © John Balaam (2016). Link. Grade A listed.

Mission Hall on a cul-de-sac off Knowehead road at NS 425 356. Additional information would be welcome. © Martin Richter (2013).

The former Old High Kirk was built as a Chapel of Ease to Laigh Kirk. Although built in the 1730's, it wasn't made a parish church until 1811. The church was sold to a funerals service in 2013. Another view. NS 430 382. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2. News item. Grade A listed.

Standing near to the Baptist Church on Fowlds Street is the former Original United Secession Church (1857), now in commercial use. Another view. There are a couple of minor mysteries here. Howard Richter advises that this church shows on the 1859 O.S. map as Original United Secession Church, but by the editions of 1910 and 1937-8 as U.O.S. - what does this stand for? The Wikipedia entry on the United Secession Church suggests that the church ceased to exist per se following the union with the Presbytery of Relief to form the United Presbyterian Church in 1847. But this church was built after that date - so was this another anti-union splinter? NS 429 376. Both © Martin Richter (2013).

Our Lady of Mount Carmel (R.C.) on Kirkton Road at NS 428 401. © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

Riccarton Parish Church (CoS, 1825) on New Street. Another view. It was preceded by several earlier churches which stood on what is now the churchyard. All © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

St. Andrew's and St. Marnock's (CoS) on St. Marnock's Street. This was built as St. Marnock in 1836, and merged with the congregation of Howard St. Andrew's in 2008 (see Howard Centre, above). NS 427 377. © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2 and Link3 refer to the carillon, though they disagree about dates. Aerial photos. Grade B listed.

The site of St. Andrew's Free Church on Fowlds Street, also showing the Baptist and Original United Secession churches in the background. The nearer (western) end of the Iceland shop stands on the site of the church, which is shown on the O.S. map of 1859. Although the stonework looks old, the footprint of the shop and the church do not coincide, so this cannot be a fragment of the church. Built in 1844 (according to this website, with much other useful history), and active to at least 1936 (see here), it was demolished between 1978 and 1992, again on map evidence. Another view. NS 428 376. All © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

The former St. Andrew's Glencairn (CoS, closed 2002) on St. Andrews Street has been converted to residential use. Two additional views - 1, 2. NS 430 373. All © Martin Richter (2013). Grade B listed.

St. John (CoS), off Wardneuk Drive, Onthank. NS 433 399. © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

St. Joseph (R.C., 1847) on Hill Street. Another view. According to an information plaque, this was only the second catholic church to be established in Ayrshire since the Reformation. The 1859 O.S. map shows this as Saint Joseph's Chapel (Roman Catholic) 750 seats. NS 428 384. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

St. Michael (R.C.) on Treeswoodhead Road and Methven Avenue. Another view. NS 432 356. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link.

The former Shortlees Parish Church (CoS, circa 1949) on Central Avenue. NS 429 353. © Martin Richter (2013). Sale notice.

West High Church (1844) on Garden Street. Another view. See also Grange Free Church (above). NS 428 382. Both © Martin Richter (2013). Link. Grade B listed.

Winton Place E. U. Congregational Church (1860). E.U. is Evangelical Union, and some history can be found here. NS 426 377. © Martin Richter (2013). Link1. Link2. Link3. Grade B listed.

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13 October 2023

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