St. Andrew

Introduction

Reginald Fairlie designed the church, which was completed in 1925. In 1959 Nuttgens referred to St Andrew's as one of Fairlie's '...most satisfactory groups of buildings.'

Architecture and furnishings

The church is predominantly concrete with crushed red sandstone facing, giving the appearance of coursed red ashlar. The interior has a colonnaded 6-bay nave with coursed red ashlar facing and moulded bases and capitals to columns. The church has a boundary wall and gatepiers with red ashlar detailing. The sanctuary has a large round-arched opening with a dogtooth- and chevron-moulded oak screen.

The church has stained windows to the south sanctuary and a single stained window centred in the north elevation. The nave has a boarded timber roof with kingpost-truss. The church has a timber panelled balcony to the north. The church has decorative cast-iron gates to the north font chapel. The church was designed to seat approximately 800.

Parish life

During Sunday morning Mass, school children go to the sacristy with volunteers for a Children's Liturgy. The parish celebrated its sesquicentennial in 2016, marking 150 years as an officially recognised parish. The parish has a history of Irish immigrants arriving on Bute in the early 1800s. The parish has a history of heroic priests and parishioners reestablishing churches, schools, convents and the community.

A weekly newsletter and other news are published. The parish has a Led By The Spirit initiative. A website provides information about the church and parish. The church is the centre of Catholic worship in Bute. The church is located just a few hundred yards from the ferry terminal.

Visiting

A toilet and baby changing table are available near the main door. Teas and coffees are available after every morning Mass in the Chapel House. A prayer box is available for parishioners to remember those to be christened, those who have joined the Catholic Faith course, new born babies, the unwell, and those whose anniversaries occur.