Saint Joseph

Introduction

Saint Joseph in Kilmarnock is a Gothic church erected in 1847 at a cost of £3000 and containing 600 sittings. The church is a Category B listed building, added on 01/08/2002.

History

The church was constructed to satisfy the spiritual needs of the Roman Catholic community within Kilmarnock, most of which had come from Ireland during the famine. The principal doorway is blocked with glassblocks and the S end is used as a community room. There is a later statue of Jesus above the N altar. By 1840, there were around 2000 Catholics in Kilmarnock.

By the 3rd Statistical Account, the Catholic Church was the 2nd largest religious body in Kilmarnock with around 6000 people. The church continues to thrive, with its own hall and an enlarged priest's house adjacent. New entrances were provided via the porches in the W wall.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is a 5-bay rectangular-plan Gothic church with oversized facade, built in 1847. The interior was refurbished as part of the 150th anniversary of the church. The church is built with a pink sandstone ashlar facade, parapet and lead buttresses, while other elevations use coursed sandstone rubble. The exterior features a vermiculated base course, corbelled parapet, pinnacles, and giant buttresses.

The roof is a piended grey slate covering on cast iron girders, with lead ridging, flashing and valleys. The building has painted cast-iron rainwater goods. A later timber and glazing porch conceals the door in the re-entrant angle of the priest's house. The priest's house includes a 2-storey, 3-bay lower extension adjoining the church at the front angle.

The west elevation of the priest's house adjoins the lower chancel of the church. The church has glass blocks within the main door surround, opaque glass to outer side windows, and coloured glass of diamond quarry internally and to side windows. The interior has plain timber pews.

Parish life

The Diocesan Youth Office is based in Saint Joseph’s Church, serving youth and young adults across the Diocese. The Saint Joseph’s Foodbank is run by the Parish Saint Vincent de Paul Society. The parish operates a Community Café at Saint Joseph’s.