Scots Church – Flinders Street
The foundation stone of Scots Church in Flinders Street was laid in 1863 but the church was not ready for worship until 1865. It was built at a cost of 4,423 Pounds, and the detailed design was the work of George Abbott and the builder was Michael McMullen. The shape of the windows was unique in Adelaide, and the ridge of the roof was emphasized by cast-iron railings decorated with the cross of Canterbury.
The sophisticated bell chamber and spire were landmarks in Flinders Street. The chamber was defined by Corinthian pilasters, and the cornice above was decorated with elongated modillions; the spire, which curved gracefully skywards, was covered with sheet metal.
The United Presbyterian congregation, which had moved here on the building’s completion, amalgamated with the congregation of Chalmer’s Church, the present Scots Church. The building was sold to the YMCA in 1955 and demolished.
(No Ratings Yet)
Loading...
The architect for this church was my 3rd great grandfather. His 4th great grandson, my son is now a successful award winning architect in Melbourne, with a partner in Hobart. Their business is Preston Lane Architects.
It’s a fine building, great to hear your son is continuing the family tradition.
My Grandfather 4th
I found a website that has a picture of the Flinders Street Presbyterian Church (c1870). See the third church down on the right hand side of this webpage.
http://www.sahistoryhub.com.au/places/flinders-street
P.S. I’m also a 4th great grandchild of George Abbott (there are a lot of us), but unlike Shirley’s son, my 1-2% share of George’s DNA didn’t include his architectural genius segment. 😉
It’s a great photo – luckily, you don’t need to have inherited any architectural genius to appreciate good design!