Baptist Cathedral, Paisley

 


This afternoon I am reporting on a tour the interior of this famous church which is also known as the ‘Baptist Cathedral of Europe’. Key facts:

  • Commissioned by the wealthy Coats textile family and opened in 1894.
  • Gothic design by Hippolyte Blanc of Edinburgh.
  • Can accommodate up to 1000 people.
  • Ground plan in shape of cross.
  • Vestibule contains 350,000 pieces of coloured marble to make up mosaic floor.
  • Pulpit made from marble and alabaster.
  • Finely carved communion table.
  • Baptistry made from black-veined marble.
  • In the chancel are three carved alabaster panels.

Overall, a truly stunning piece of design and craftsmanship.

Location is Paisley, West of Scotland.

In light of a dwindling congregation and significant ongoing maintenance costs, the final church service took place in August 2018.

Unfortunately, the building is in need of considerable funds for repairs and maintenance.

The building is managed by the Coats Memorial Preservation Trust, and hosts weddings, proms and graduations, and corporate events. It is used as a location for television and film. Most recently, the former church and its grounds were used for scenes from Season 5 of the historical drama Outlander.

More information for the visitor

Please refer Visitors’ Guide to Scotland which contains nearly 800 pages of information and images on many aspects of Scotland. ISBN is 978-1-9161332-0-4. Also available via Kindle.

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