A compact 1835 Gothic church now serves an active independent congregation, preserving the building’s communal purpose under a new name.
Quick facts
- Date
- 1835
- Architect / designer
- Designer not identified
- Type
- Gothic former church with galleries and gatepiers
- Designation
- Listed building, Category B (LB1314)
- OS grid reference
- NS 70034 44445
Architecture and continuing use
The polished-ashlar entrance front centres on a shallow advanced doorway beneath a blind castellated parapet. Tudor-arched windows with Y-tracery, octagonal angle shafts and pinnacles provide a deliberately Gothic identity. Three galleries survive on clustered cast-iron columns.
Its story
The West United Presbyterian congregation built the church in 1835. It continued in ecclesiastical use through later denominational change. Outreach Community Church established its permanent home here in 2013 and uses the building as the Epicentre.
Why it is included
Category B listing recognises a well-preserved Gothic dissenting church whose exterior, galleries and continuing congregational use make an important contribution to Townhead Street.
What to notice
- The castellated parapet above the central entrance.
- Y-tracery within the Tudor-arched front windows.
- Clustered iron columns supporting three galleries inside.
Reading the surroundings
Consult Outreach Community Church for services, events and access. Respect worship, safeguarding and neighbours; galleries and ancillary rooms are not automatically open.
Timeline
- 1835 The West United Presbyterian congregation completed its Gothic church.
- 1980 The building and gatepiers were listed at Category B.
- 2013 Outreach Community Church established the Epicentre as its permanent home.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
The official record predates the present organisation. Current programme and interior access must be verified with the congregation.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: The Epicentre, Former West Church, LB1314 — Current designation status, official mapped location, date, fabric and significance.
- Trove designation: LB1314 — Parallel national designation identity and archival context.
- Outreach Community Church: The Epicentre — First-party confirmation of the former West Church as the congregation’s active permanent home.
- South Lanarkshire Council: Strathaven conservation-area guidance — Council confirmation of Strathaven conservation-area appraisal, management and design guidance.
Location
OS grid reference NS 70034 44445 · 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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