St Andrew's Roman Catholic Church

A dramatically modern church that forms a landmark in the Craigshill neighbourhood of Livingston (West Lothian) St. Andrew's Church was built on Victoria Street in 1969 and formally dedicated by Cardinal Gordon Gray (1910-93) the following year, the first Roman Catholic church in the New Town.

The land was bought by the church authorities in March 1968 for £2400. This single-storey circular building, which features a series of shuttered-concrete walls spiralling out from a striking double-height concrete sail, was designed by G. R. M. Kennedy of the Edinburgh-based Alison and Hutchison & Partners and built at a cost of £88,000. Construction was delayed due to the bankruptcy of the contractor. Windows are hidden at an angle between the concentric walls and roof-lights illuminate the congregational space. The interior follows the Scandinavian-style with terrazzo floor, raised curved altar, curved white walls and considerable use of timber in the ceiling, pews and Crucifix. Some pews are formed of concrete. This non-traditional space is successful in promoting a sense of intimacy in worship.

The interior space was altered from its original design c.1993 and modified once again, and refurbished, in 2010. The sunken baptistry was infilled and a chapel was created from the former sacristy. The timber-carved 'Stations of the Cross' date from 1959 and were salvaged from Good Shepherd Cathedral in Ayr, when it closed in 2007.

The church was B-listed in 2014 as an important example of post-war ecclesiastical architecture.


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