Falkirk St. Andrew’s Church

(SMR 931)

NS 8877 8023

NS 8876 8004

TIMELINE

1843    Falkirk Free Church                                        1900

1900    St. Andrew’s United Free Church                   1929

1929    Falkirk St. Andrew’s Church of Scotland                   1990

1990    Falkirk St Andrew’s West

1843:  In  the year of the Disruption events moved quickly; May  –  meeting  in Cistern  Lane Chapel; June – Free Church congregation formed and joined by  the congregation  of the Cistern Lane Chapel, holding services in Cistern Lane  and the Relief Church; August – Cistern Lane Chapel leased for a year from  William Simpson for £30; November – minister inducted.

1844, Nov: New church building opened at Garrison Place, built by Thomas Wyse, mason, and Mr Black the carpenter, according to a design by Rev. Irving.   Cost £1,144 for the building and £270 for the land.

1846: School started in the Pleasance (in 1851 a building was erected in Meek’s Road, and in 1872 it was handed over to the School Board).

1866: Mission church built in Shieldhill (which became a church in its own right in 1890).

1870: Mission church built in Camelon.

1878: Bainsford became a separate charge.

Mission started at Callendar Riggs using the old Baptist Chapel (bought by Rev. Irving in 1849 and bequeathed in 1890 to the Free Church by his widow, closed 1931).

1888: Irving Memorial Church established in place of the home mission in Camelon.

1896: Foundation stone laid 15th September 1894,  and in January 1896  the  new church  opened  in Newmarket Street on part of the garden of the manse  of  the Parish Church.   Designed by James Strang in the mid-pointed Gothic style.  The north gable that faces the street is dominated by a 130ft tall spire.   The whole executed in red snecked rubble by Messrs J and P M’Lauchlan, Larbert.  The church measures 58ft by 72ft.  The upper hall 25ft by 51ft, lower  hall 19ft by 37ft.  Cost £8,100.

1914-18: Halls used by the Navy.

1926: Electricity installed.

1930: Oak platform extended and new oak furnishing by Whytock & Reid of Edinburgh installed, including a pulpit, communion table, minister’s chair, elders’ chairs, choir stall, screens, lectern and a small writing desk.  Work supervised by Robert Wilson.

1935-37: Internal renovations.

1936: Missions at Etna Road and Thornhill Road closed January.

1939-45: Halls used by army.

1979-82: “Well” or internal courtyard built in to provide committee rooms, etc.

1990: Merger with the West Church.

MANSE

1878:  Site on the Established Church glebe acquired and manse built at a cost of £2,587 – Arnothill.

FITTINGS

1896: Baptismal font, situated in chancel, given by Dr and Mrs Prangnell.   A clock in the centre gallery given by Buchanan.

1930: Organ and communion table re-arranged on advice from the Scottish artist Sir D. Cameron.  The carving on the table includes corn and grapes, symbolic of the bread and wine of the sacrament.  Some of this is painted scarlet and gold indicating sacrifice and glory.

1931:  Old pulpit and chair given to Cockstown Presbyterian Church in Co.  Tyrone.

1950: War memorial plaque and canopy dedicated.

ORGAN

1913: From Ingram and Co, Edinburgh.

BELL

1840s?  Bell presented by Thomas Keir.

1895: Bell cast by John Murphy, weight 16 cwt, with the inscription: “FALKIRK FREE CHURCH, 1895 (shamrocks) J.MURPHY, FOUNDER, DUBLIN” (harp and crown).   Also depicted is a watchtower with a watchman, and a dog.  Cost £55 plus £38 for the fittings.

WINDOW

See separate entry for stained glass.

WAR MEMORIALS

See separate entries for St Andrew’s Roll of Honour and War Memorial

SEATING

1896: 950, later reduced.

MINISTERS OF St. ANDREW’S CHURCH

Nov 1843

Irving, Lewis Hay1877

Jan 1878

Mair, HughApr 1884

Sep 1884

Adamson, ThomasJan 1888

Aug 1888

Johnston, James BrownDec 1928

Dec 1928

Ferguson, AlexanderSep 1938
Mar 1939Soutar, WilliamJan 1951
Aug 1951Pollock, Robert ClementsAug 1971
May 1972McGhee, RobertMar 1996
1977Horne, A 

G.B. Bailey (2019)