Our Lady of Good Counsel turns a compact Dennistoun site into an unusually powerful work of post-war church architecture: low brown-brick walls support a great copper roof that rises, falls and narrows across the building, while concealed glazing concentrates coloured light within.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1964–1965
- Architect / designer
- Gillespie, Kidd and Coia; the design is associated with Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan
- Type
- Modern Roman Catholic parish church
- Materials
- Brown facing brick, reinforced concrete structure, timber and copper-clad roofs
- Designation
- Listed building, Category A (LB33891)
- OS grid reference
- NS 61010 65500
- Present use
- Active Roman Catholic parish church
Architecture
The church has an irregular quadrilateral plan adapted to a sloping site. From the east, a low brick wall is capped by a timber-framed strip of glazing at the eaves. Doorways sit to either side, one recessed and approached by brick steps. Above them, the principal copper-clad roof is raked in two directions: it tapers across the building while its deep fascia makes the roof seem both sheltering and dramatically suspended.
The west side is lower and uses a second, roughly parallel roof. A narrow glazed band between the two roof levels admits light without turning the church into a conventional glass-walled Modernist building. The result is deliberately read in movement: its silhouette changes markedly as the visitor walks along Craigpark and Broompark Circus.
Interior and light
Inside, two rows of three concrete columns divide the worship space into three bays and carry the main beams. Facing brick continues across the interior, while pine finishes the roof above. A western gallery stands over the sacristy and confessionals.
The architecture depends on controlled rather than abundant daylight. Glazing is concentrated in narrow bands and concealed coloured openings, so light grazes the brick surfaces and the roof appears to float above them. This creates a strong sense of enclosure around the altar without relying on a historic style, applied ornament or a conventional tower.
Development and context
Gillespie, Kidd and Coia completed the church in 1964–65, during the practice’s celebrated post-war period. The office had become closely associated with the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland, and its younger designers, Isi Metzstein and Andy MacMillan, were exploring how brick, concrete, roof form and carefully directed light could support modern worship.
Historic Environment Scotland records that the practice received a bronze regional medal of the RIBA for the building. Other published accounts also attribute a Civic Trust Award in 1966, but the statutory designation itself names only the RIBA medal; the two claims should therefore not be treated as the same piece of evidence.
Why it matters
The church is Category A listed because its architectural interest lies in the complete handling of plan, structure, material and light. Its low walls and powerful roof make it immediately recognisable from the surrounding streets, yet its real effect is internal: an ordinary palette of brick, concrete, timber and copper is composed into a space of concentration and ceremony.
It also survives in its intended use. That continuity matters because the building was not conceived as an abstract sculptural object; its entrances, gathering space, confessionals, gallery, altar focus and changing light all belong to an active parish setting.
What to notice
- The roof’s changing profile: broad and emphatic from one viewpoint, narrow and sharply rising from another.
- The deep copper-clad eaves and the contrast between the heavy roof edge and low brick walls.
- The slim glazing bands that separate wall and roof.
- The way the sloping site is managed through the raised eastern platform, railings and brick steps.
- Inside, the rhythm of the six concrete columns, exposed brick surfaces and pine roof.
- The restrained coloured light, which is easiest to understand from within during authorised access.
Setting
The church stands in Dennistoun at the meeting of Craigpark and Broompark Circus. Its angular massing and low perimeter respond to a residential urban setting rather than a detached suburban campus. Safe exterior appreciation is possible from the surrounding public pavements; visitors should avoid blocking entrances or photographing worshippers without permission.
Visiting and access
This is an active place of worship, not a church maintained as a staffed visitor attraction. The Archdiocese of Glasgow currently lists a Saturday vigil Mass at 5.30pm and Sunday Masses at 11am and 5.30pm, together with holy-day services. Worship provides meaningful public access, but service times can change and attendance does not imply unrestricted architectural touring.
No regular sightseeing opening hours are advertised. Anyone wishing to study the interior outside worship should contact the parish in advance. During services, respect prayer, follow parish directions and do not assume access to the gallery, sacristy, confessionals or other non-public areas.
Timeline
- 1964–1965 The church is designed and built by Gillespie, Kidd and Coia.
- 1966 Published accounts associate the completed building with architectural awards; Historic Environment Scotland specifically records a bronze regional medal of the RIBA.
- 23 September 1994 The building is added to the statutory list at Category A.
- Present It remains an active parish church in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The statutory designation securely identifies the date, practice, plan, materials, principal elevations, interior structure and RIBA recognition. It does not name an individual designer within the practice or provide a full parish construction history. Attribution to Metzstein and MacMillan is widely accepted in specialist writing, but the building should still be credited formally to Gillespie, Kidd and Coia. Current worship times are operational information and should be checked again before a visit.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: 73 Craigpark, Our Lady of Good Counsel Roman Catholic Church, LB33891 — Designation, date, plan, materials, exterior and interior description, listing date and RIBA recognition.
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow: Mass times — Current worship schedule and evidence of public access through services.
- Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Glasgow: Our Lady of Good Counsel, Dennistoun — Parish identity, address and contact details.
- Scotland’s Churches Trust: Our Lady of Good Counsel — Supplementary architectural description and church context.
Location
OS grid reference NS 61010 65500 · Location confidence: High: the statutory designation supplies an official mapped National Grid Reference and the current source confirms the Place relationship or present identity. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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