St. Columba's Church, Newington

Introduction

Saint Columba's Church in Newington, Edinburgh, was designed by R M Cameron in 1888. Saint Columba's Church is the mother parish of many parishes in the south and east of Edinburgh.

History

The foundation stone of Saint Columba's Church was laid on 23 April 1889. Saint Columba's Church opened on Sunday 17th November 1889. Saint Columba's Church was dedicated on Friday 17th November 1989.

Architecture and furnishings

Saint Columba's Church is a single and 2 storey Italian Renaissance church with a 3-bay pedimented front. The interior of Saint Columba's Church features a top-lit, semi-domed, raised sanctuary to the E through a moulded, segmental chancel-arch. The interior of Saint Columba's Church includes a central, tripartite marble reredos with fine classical carving to the E wall. Saint Columba's Church has an original organ with painted and gilded pipes.

Saint Columba's Church has small-pane, leaded stained glass windows and a grey slate pitched roof. The principal elevation is of cream sandstone polished ashlar, channelled at ground, with squared and snecked rubble to the sides and rear. The central bay of the front features three small windows above the band course, a carved architrave and panelled mullions to a 3-light segmental arched window, and a pediment with a carved stone Latin cross finial. The sanctuary platform has a carved, white marble altar.

The organ gallery to the west is accessed via a stone dog-leg stair to the north. The interior has simply carved oak seating and an open timber ceiling. A choir sings at the Sunday Mass in this church.

Parish life

St Columba's SVDP was first formed in 1891. The Justice and Peace Group meets monthly, directly when possible or virtually. The Justice and Peace Group works closely with the SVDP group, and some members serve on the Archdiocesan Caritas and Justice and Peace Commission. The Justice and Peace group has maintained close links with the parish of St Peter's in Mbare, Zimbabwe, with visits in both directions.