St Andrew's Garrison Church, Aldershot

Last updated • 7 min readFrom Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

St Andrew's Garrison Church in Aldershot. St Andrews Aldershot 2019.jpg
St Andrew's Garrison Church in Aldershot.

St Andrew's Garrison Church, situated at Queens Avenue, Aldershot, Hampshire (GU11 2BY) in southern England is a large army church designed in the late 1920s by the prominent Scottish architect Sir Robert Lorimer (1864–1929).

Contents

History

During the 1920s Sir Robert Lorimer designed a number of war memorials, including the Scottish National War Memorial at Edinburgh Castle. [1] St Andrew's Garrison Church was built as a memorial to those who lost their lives in the First World War, also known as the Great War. A plaque in the porch of St Andrew's states that:

"This church was built to the glory of God in thankful remembrance of the soldiers of the Church of Scotland and kindred churches throughout the empire who laid down their lives in the Great War 1914–1918."

As an army church, St Andrew's is not officially classed as a Church of Scotland church. However, historically most of its ministers have been ordained Church of Scotland ministers. [2] Additionally the church uses the standard Church of Scotland format for its services and the Church of Scotland hymn book, "Church Hymnary 4".

Congregation

The congregation is not restricted to the military and services are open to civilians. [2]

History of the church buildings

Army camp established, 1854

An army camp was established at Aldershot in 1854. Two churches were quickly erected in that camp the following year. By 1856 a third church was needed and a portable structure known as the "Iron Church" was erected. In 1866 the Iron Church was transferred from its previous location near Thornhill Road, Aldershot to Queen's Avenue, Aldershot, close to where St Andrew's Garrison Church is sited today. [3]

Iron Church

The Iron Church was used jointly by the Church of Scotland and the Church of England ministers until 1893. In that year St George's Garrison Church was built by the Army for the Anglicans. From then on, until its demolition in 1926, the "Iron Church" was just used by the Church of Scotland ministers. In 1908, Rev. J. T. Bird, the Chaplain at that time, asked that the Iron Church should be named after the patron saint of Scotland, Saint Andrew. The War Office agreed to this request.

Fundraising

Following the First World War money was raised to replace the Iron Church with a permanent structure which would also serve as a memorial for Church of Scotland and other Presbyterian soldiers who had been killed in that war.

Design of church

View down the nave to the chancel St Andrews Aldershot nave view 2019.jpg
View down the nave to the chancel
View West down the nave St Andrews Aldershot nave 2019.jpg
View West down the nave

This new church was designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. However, due to cost constraints the nave was initially built slightly shorter than Lorimer had originally planned. Externally the building is predominately brown brick. Its doorways, windows and corner points highlighted with a red brick. Internally, the layout is a standard East facing cross, save that at the East end of the church there is an octagonal apse.

Official opening, 1927

The newly erected St Andrew's Garrison Church was formally opened by Princess Mary, Colonel in Chief of The Royal Scots, on the morning of Saturday 10 December 1927. However within a few years the church was proving to be too small for army ceremonial services. By 1938 enough money had been raised to extend the nave. In particular large donations came from the Trustees of St Andrew's Scottish Soldiers' Club; the Church of Scotland and The Treasury. John F. Matthew, the architectural partner of the by now deceased Sir Robert Lorimer, was commissioned to do the design work. This involved extending the nave by 30 feet, similar to what Lorimer had originally intended in 1926 and reducing the height of the bell tower.

Extension, 1939

On Sunday 5 February 1939, the extended St Andrew's Garrison Church was reopened and rededicated in the presence of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

Ancillary buildings, 1950s

The 1950s saw the erection of a complex of ancillary buildings next to the church on its north east side providing a hall, kitchen, offices, toilets and storage for the church. They are of a fairly utilitarian 1950s design. Other than the hall, where rough cast is widely used on the exterior, these ancillary buildings were built with a darkish red brick similar to that used in places on the main church building. The church hall is dedicated to the remembrance of members of the "Church of Scotland and kindred presbyterian churches who gave their lives" in World War II.

Statue of St Andrew

Statue of St Andrew outside the Garrison Church Statue St Andrew Garrison Aldershot.jpg
Statue of St Andrew outside the Garrison Church

Following the closure of the Royal Caledonian School, Bushey, Hertfordshire in the 1990s, a statue of St Andrew by J. G. Bubb, which had been at that school, was donated to the church. The statue now stands outside the front of church, to the south of the porch. A new marble base was added to the statue around 2003/4.

Listing

In 2006 the church building was listed by Rushmoor Borough Council. Listing gives extra protection to a building against alteration or demolition of the structure. [4]

Interior

The interior is dominated by a large nave with seating for around four hundred and twenty. There are no balconies. Two arched aisles run between the nave and the side walls.

Cameron Chapel

The south wing, or transept, was converted to a small chapel in 1975. Initially called St Andrew's Chapel, this has come to be known as the Cameron Chapel. The Cameron name relates to the presence of a large stained glass window given by the Cameron Highlanders to the church, in 1930, which can be found in this part of the building, plus accompanying plaque and a regimental flag. A new communion table and plinth were specially commissioned for the opening of the chapel in 1975. [5]

Organ

The organ dates to 1897 St Andrews Aldershot organ 2019.jpg
The organ dates to 1897

The north wing or transept is dominated by a large organ. The organ itself is older than the church buildings and dates from 1897. It originally resided in St Ninian's Church of Scotland, Leith. In 1984, the organ was restored and installed in St Andrew's Garrison Church, following the merger of St Ninian's Church with North Leith and Bonnington Church to form North Leith Parish Church. [6]

Monuments

The church contains a number of monuments and stained glass. Some of these originated in the church while others have been transferred here over time. [7] [8] [9]

Stone showing crest of Gordon Highlanders. It is one of twelve carved by German prisoners of war, held in Egypt, in the Second World War. Standrewsgcstone.png
Stone showing crest of Gordon Highlanders. It is one of twelve carved by German prisoners of war, held in Egypt, in the Second World War.

Egyptian stones

These include 12 stones set into the wall of the Cameron chapel. The stones were carved by German Prisoners of War, held in Egypt in World War II. Initially the stones were placed in an overseas British army church, St Andrew's Kirk, Geneifa, Egypt. Ten of the stones display the regimental cap badges of Scottish Regiments based in the Canal Zone. Two stones show medical badges used in the British Army at the time. When the British Army left Egypt in the mid-1950s the church closed and the stones were, a few years later, transferred to St Andrew's, Aldershot.

War memorials and regimental crests

Other memorials transferred to the church include:

Lower half of Haig Memorial Window showing a group mourning. Beneath them a kilted soldier kneels before a grave. Standrewsgcwindow.png
Lower half of Haig Memorial Window showing a group mourning. Beneath them a kilted soldier kneels before a grave.

Stained glass

The rest of St Andrew's stained glass was commissioned for the church. There is a large stained glass window in the apse of the church to the memory of Field-Marshal, Earl Haig as well as glass commemorating the Cameron Highlanders and I Corp. Additionally a number of stained glass windows have been given in memory of individual members of the congregation.

The church's two largest stained glass windows, namely those dedicated to I Corp and Earl Haig, were both designed by Walter Cook of Edinburgh, in the early to mid-1930s. They have similar themes as both are dominated by Jesus, as saviour and figure of peace, with arms outstretched, underneath him being a small group of grieving people drawing attention to the cost of war in general and the First World War in particular.

51°15′39″N0°45′33″W / 51.26083°N 0.75917°W / 51.26083; -0.75917

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Giles' Cathedral</span> Church in Edinburgh, Scotland

St Giles' Cathedral, or the High Kirk of Edinburgh, is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in the Old Town of Edinburgh. The current building was begun in the 14th century and extended until the early 16th century; significant alterations were undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries, including the addition of the Thistle Chapel. St Giles' is closely associated with many events and figures in Scottish history, including John Knox, who served as the church's minister after the Scottish Reformation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunblane Cathedral</span> Church in Scotland, UK

Dunblane Cathedral is the larger of the two Church of Scotland parish churches serving Dunblane, near the city of Stirling, in central Scotland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Michael's Church, Aigburth</span> Church in Liverpool, England

St Michael's Church, also known as St Michael-in-the-Hamlet Church, is in St. Michael's Church Road, St Michael's Hamlet, Liverpool, Merseyside, England. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade I listed building. The church contains much cast iron in its structure, and its citation in the National Heritage List for England states it has "one of the earliest and most thorough uses of industrial materials in a major building". It is an active Anglican parish church in the diocese of Liverpool, the archdeaconry of Liverpool, and the deanery of Toxteth and Wavertree. Its benefice is united with those of Christ Church, Toxteth Park, and St Andrew, Liverpool.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Lorimer</span> Scottish architect (1864–1929)

Sir Robert Stodart Lorimer, KBE was a prolific Scottish architect and furniture designer noted for his sensitive restorations of historic houses and castles, for new work in Scots Baronial and Gothic Revival styles, and for promotion of the Arts and Crafts movement.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Mary's Cathedral, Edinburgh (Episcopal)</span> Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Cathedral Church of Saint Mary the Virgin, commonly known as St Mary's Episcopal Cathedral, is a cathedral of the Scottish Episcopal Church in the West End of Edinburgh, Scotland; part of the worldwide Anglican Communion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Douglas Strachan</span> Scottish stained glass artist (1875–1950)

Douglas Strachan is considered the most significant Scottish designer of stained glass windows in the 20th century. He is best known for his windows at the Peace Palace in The Hague, Netherlands, at Edinburgh's Scottish National War Memorial and in cathedrals and churches throughout the United Kingdom. He is also known for his paintings, murals, and illustrations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cathedral of St Michael and St George, Aldershot</span> Church in Hampshire, England

Cathedral Church of St Michael and St George serves as the Roman Catholic cathedral for the Bishopric of the Forces. Located on Queens Avenue in Aldershot, England, the building was originally intended to be the principal church for the Anglican chaplaincies of the British Army but since 1973 it has been the seat of the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Andrew's Church, Roker</span> Church in Sunderland, England

St Andrew's, Roker (1905–7), is a Church of England parish church in Sunderland, England. It is recognised as one of the finest churches of the first half of the twentieth century and the masterpiece of Edward Schroeder Prior. The design of St Andrew's drew together many of the strings of Prior's philosophy and approach to design and building. Three years before commencing St Andrew's, Prior had written that the architect's first purpose was to provide;

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Cuthbert's Church, Edinburgh</span> Church in Scotland

The Parish Church of St Cuthbert is a parish church of the Church of Scotland in central Edinburgh. Probably founded in the 7th century, the church once covered an extensive parish around the burgh of Edinburgh. The church's current building was designed by Hippolyte Blanc and completed in 1894.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Leith Parish Church</span> Church in Edinburghs harbour district, Scotland

South Leith Parish Church, originally the Kirk of Our Lady, St Mary, is a congregation of the Church of Scotland. It is the principal church and congregation in Leith, in Edinburgh. Its kirkyard is the burial place for John Home and John Pew, the man from whom the author Robert Louis Stevenson reputedly derived the character of Blind Pew in the novel Treasure Island. 18th-century Scottish Episcopal Church bishop and historian Robert Forbes also lies buried beneath the church floor. The church has been repaired, used as an ammunition store and reconstructed but still retains the basic layout of the nave of the old church.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Garrison Church, Aldershot</span> Church in Hampshire, United Kingdom

Royal Garrison Church of All Saints is a Church of England church in Aldershot Garrison, England. It was built in 1863 and designed by the architect P. C. Hardwick. The building is constructed in the Gothic Revival style using English bond red brick, hence its nickname of "the Red Church". It is the 'home' church for the Anglican military personnel serving in Aldershot. It is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Chilton</span> British stained glass artist and instructor

Margaret Isobel Chilton (1875–1963), born at Clifton, Bristol, was a British stained glass artist and instructor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rachel de Montmorency</span> English painter

Rachel de Montmorency, née Rachel Marion Tancock, was an English painter and artist working in stained glass. She learned about stained glass when she worked for artist Christopher Whall in the 1910s and 1920s. During World War I she worked as a voluntary nurse.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">King's Chapel, Gibraltar</span> Church in Main Street, Gibraltar

King's Chapel is a small chapel in the British Overseas Territory of Gibraltar. It is located at the southern end of Main Street and adjoins the Governor of Gibraltar's residence, The Convent. What nowadays is King's Chapel was the first purpose-built church to be constructed in Gibraltar. Originally part of a Franciscan friary, the chapel was built in the 1530s but was given to the Church of England by the British after the capture of Gibraltar in 1704. It was badly damaged in the late 18th century during the Great Siege of Gibraltar and in the explosion of an ammunition ship in Gibraltar harbour in 1951, but was restored on both occasions. From 1844 to 1990 it served as the principal church of the British Army in Gibraltar; since then it has been used by all three services of the British Armed Forces.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Katharine Lamb Tait</span>

Katharine Lamb Tait was an American stained glass and mosaics designer, painter, muralist, and illustrator. She was the head designer at J&R Lamb Studios for more than four decades, and created notable commissions for the Tuskegee Institute Chapel and for chapels at the United States Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune, among others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Church of St Michael the Archangel, Aldershot</span>

The Church of St Michael the Archangel is the parish church for the town of Aldershot in Hampshire. Dating to the 12th century with later additions, there was almost certainly an earlier church on the site. The existing structure is a Grade II listed building and is located beside Manor Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Joseph's Church, Aldershot</span> Church in Hampshire, United Kingdom

St Joseph's Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Aldershot, Hampshire. Built in 1913, it is situated at the top of a ridge on Queens Road, overlooking the town centre, between the Municipal Gardens and Princes Hall. It is a Grade II listed building. Sir Nikolaus Pevsner described it as 'One of the most impressive churches of its date, brilliantly planned on a triangular site.'

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St Tarcisius Church, Camberley</span> Church in Camberley, England

St Tarcisius Church is a Roman Catholic Parish church in Camberley, Surrey. It was built between 1923 and 1924 and was designed by Frederick Walters. It is situated on the London Road, to the north of the town, next to The Atrium Shopping Centre. It is a Grade II listed building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thistle Chapel</span> Chapel in Edinburgh, Scotland

The Thistle Chapel, located in St Giles' Cathedral, Edinburgh, Scotland, is the chapel of the Order of the Thistle.

References

  1. A History of Scottish Architecture From The Renaissance to the Present Day (published 1996, Edinburgh University Press), Miles Glendinning, Ranald Macinnes & Aonghus MacKechnie, ASIN: B0016X51T0
  2. 1 2 "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  3. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  4. "Rushmoor Borough Council". Rushmoor.gov.uk. Retrieved 12 April 2014.
  5. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  6. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  7. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  8. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  9. "St. Andrew's Garrison Church". Standrewsaldershot.co.uk. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
  10. Aldershot Presbyterian Church – War Memorial RegisterImperial War Museum website