Anderston Free Church, 9 University Avenue, Glasgow

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 15/12/1970 Local Authority Glasgow Planning Authority Glasgow Burgh Glasgow NGR NS 57167 66695 Coordinates 257167, 666695 — James Sellars of Campbell Douglas & Sellars, 1876-78; alterations by Keppie, Henderson & Partners, 1961-63; converted to Gilmorehill Centre by SBT Keppie 1996-7. Normandy Gothic former church. Stugged coursed ashlar, polished ashlar dressings. FURTHER DESCRIPTION: Nave; low 5-bay aisles. To W 5 tall gabled 3-light plate-tracery windows over aisles; small lancets in aisles. To E 4-clerestory windows divided by flying buttresses, lower walling also heavily buttressed. To S single storey halls at right angles to main body of church. Pointed arch doorpiece in re-entrant angle. Truncated tower rises only to 2 stages and was never completed. Pointed arch entrance with nook shafts. 2 leaded glass windows at base of tower. Grey slate roofs. INTERIOR (seen 1988): much altered, few original fittings survive. 5-arch arcade supported on piers separates nave from aisles. Open timber roof to subsidiary halls. False suspended ceiling to main hall. — Designed by James Sellars, architect of the main building of the 1888 Glasgow International Exhibition (a temporary structure in the nearby Kelvingrove Park). The building occupies a prominent corner site. Originally built as Anderston Free Church. The Dean of Guild plans of 1877 show a proposed tall and slender tower, but it was never completed. Later the building became the Hillhead United Free Church, then it was used as examination halls by the University of Glasgow before being converted to its current use in 1996-97 for the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies. The insertion of 7 levels within the stone shell allowed for the creation of a 150-seat cinema, theatre and rehearsal

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.