Church Overview

An ecumenical religious retreat, St Mary’s Monastery is run by the Redemptorist Order (more formally known as the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer. The development was privately funded and built by local architect Andrew Heiton.  The B-listed Gothic structure consists of four-storey buildings arranged in a U-plan.  The first buildings were completed in 1868, with the community taking up residence in 1869.  A church was completed at the north end in 1870 and a south range with clock tower was added in 1896 by A G Heiton.  The church is cruciform in plan, with aisles to the north and south, and features heavy English Gothic detail.  The chancel is the full width if the nave and the south transept is used as a sacristy.  At the chancel end are niches containing statues of the Madonna and Child, St Joseph and St Alphonso de’ Liguori, founder of the Redemptorist Order.  Below the church is a mortuary chapel and a crypt, the latter having a brick-groined ceiling.  The crypt was restored in the early 2000s and is now available to local groups as a meeting place.  The altar is of Caen stone with a canopy decorated with coloured marble.  The church also features a ‘Father’ Willis organ and 19thC. stained glass.

Opening Arrangements

Access by arrangement

Disclaimer

The information about churches in Scotland’s Churches Scheme has been provided by the congregations or taken from the Historic Scotland list and published sources, in particular, the Buildings of Scotland volumes and the RIAS Illustrated Architectural Guides. To contact this specific church please complete the Contact this Church form above. The information is not authoritative; please contact Scotland’s Churches Trust to let us know of any errors or omissions.