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Actions Displays	Old St. Mary's To enquire about this item(s) please contact us archives@eastdunbarton.gov.uk Remove from selection Add to selection TitleOld St. Mary's Formatjpg Description Old St. Mary's Parish Church, known as the 'Auld Kirk' at the cross, Kirkintilloch, was built in 1644 to replace St. Ninian's at the Old Aisle. The Auld Kirk, built in cruciform shape (shape of a cross) with crow-stepped gables, stands on the site of a previous 14th century chapel to the Virgin Mary. Many alterations have been made to the church over the centuries. When first built the west gable featured a pair of pointed windows above a rectangular door and a bellcote. The north, south and eastern gables contained large, pointed, chamfered windows with interior cavetto (concave, approx quarter circle) moulding. On the southern slope of the east gable was a large stone sundial and the 1644 date stone is still visible today on the exterior south gable wall. In the early 18th century a basket-arched door was created in the western side of the church's north limb. A great many alterations were made by John W. Small, of Stirling, in 1890 to modernise the church. This included the addition of dormer windows, a wooden cupola over the crossing, heating and gas-lighting. By 1910 the church was too small for its growing congregation. It was decided that a new church would be built close to Townhead Bridge. The Auld Kirk continued to survive as a Sunday School before later being passed into the care of the Council and still stands today as a museum.

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Old St. Mary's

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TitleOld St. Mary's

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Description

Old St. Mary's Parish Church, known as the 'Auld Kirk' at the cross, Kirkintilloch, was built in 1644 to replace St. Ninian's at the Old Aisle. The Auld Kirk, built in cruciform shape (shape of a cross) with crow-stepped gables, stands on the site of a previous 14th century chapel to the Virgin Mary.
Many alterations have been made to the church over the centuries. When first built the west gable featured a pair of pointed windows above a rectangular door and a bellcote. The north, south and eastern gables contained large, pointed, chamfered windows with interior cavetto (concave, approx quarter circle) moulding. On the southern slope of the east gable was a large stone sundial and the 1644 date stone is still visible today on the exterior south gable wall. In the early 18th century a basket-arched door was created in the western side of the church's north limb.
A great many alterations were made by John W. Small, of Stirling, in 1890 to modernise the church. This included the addition of dormer windows, a wooden cupola over the crossing, heating and gas-lighting.
By 1910 the church was too small for its growing congregation. It was decided that a new church would be built close to Townhead Bridge. The Auld Kirk continued to survive as a Sunday School before later being passed into the care of the Council and still stands today as a museum.