A tall clock tower and rose-window front remain central to Stonehouse’s streetscape even after this long-lived congregation closed the building.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1878–79; rebuilt internally after fire in 1977
- Architect / designer
- Shiells and Thomson
- Type
- Gothic former United Free Church with clock tower
- Designation
- Listed building, Category C (LB49857)
- OS grid reference
- NS 75488 46941
Architecture and continuing use
Yellow sandstone rubble and smooth dressings form a compact Gothic composition. The four-stage tower contains lancets, louvred openings, blind arcading and clock faces beneath crocketed pediments, while a radial rose window centres the principal gable.
Its story
Shiells and Thomson built the church in 1878–79 for a United Presbyterian congregation. It later took the name of the long-serving Rev. Henry Angus Paterson. Fire in 1977 destroyed much of the roof and interior; rebuilding introduced modern stained glass. The United Free Church closed it in 2024 and marketed the property in 2025.
Why it is included
Category C listing recognises an important townscape landmark, surviving Victorian glass and a layered story of dissenting worship, fire recovery and recent closure.
What to notice
- The radial rose window above Lawrie Street.
- Clock faces and crocketed tower pediments.
- Contrasts between surviving Victorian and later stained glass if authorised access becomes available.
Reading the surroundings
The building is closed and should be treated as private property. View from public space and do not rely on sale particulars as permission to enter.
Timeline
- 1878–79 Shiells and Thomson completed the new dissenting church.
- 1900 Denominational union gave the building its United Free Church setting.
- 1977 A major fire led to roof and interior reconstruction.
- 2024 The congregation closed the building before later marketing.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
A 2025 marketing campaign does not establish sale, occupation or completed reuse. Interior condition and access remain unverified.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Paterson Church, Stonehouse, LB49857 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Trove designation: LB49857 — Parallel national designation identity and archival context.
- Scotland’s Churches Trust: Paterson Church — Church-building history and current evidence that Paterson Church closed in 2024 and was marketed in 2025.
- Stonehouse community heritage guide — Local historical context for Stonehouse churches, public buildings, turnpike roads and settlement development.
Location
OS grid reference NS 75488 46941 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · 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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