St. Paul's (Whiteinch)

Introduction

Saint Paul's (Whiteinch) in Whiteinch, in the Archdiocese of Glasgow, is distinguished by its dalle de verre stained glass by Gabriel Loire of Chartres.

History

The parish dates from 1903, with Mass first celebrated upstairs in the now demolished school. In 1960 Saint Paul's Whiteinch was built on the same site as the old primary school, designed by architect Charles Gray F.R.I.B.A with capacity for 600 people.

Architecture and furnishings

The church is a basilican-type church with a 5-bay flat-roofed narthex and 6-bay pitch-roofed nave with low side-aisles. The NE principal elevation has a tall 3-stage tower with a statue of St Paul on a corbelled base. The SW elevation has a full-height, 9-light, bowed sanctuary window. The SE elevation includes a flat-roofed bay known as the Chapel of St John Ogilvie.

The interior has a shallow-vaulted ceiling, squat brick piers, bow-fronted galleries, and carved Stations of the Cross. The sanctuary window is 162 square metres of curved window behind the high altar.

The stained glass includes a 9-light sanctuary window depicting the life of St Paul, a 3-light Virgin and Child window to NW, and a baptistry cupola depicting Dove of Peace. The Lady Chapel is to the right of the High altar with an image of Madonna and Child.

Visiting

Visitors approaching the church pass low saddleback-coped brick boundary walls with inset railings, dry-dash boundary walls, square-section flat-coped brick gatepiers, and decorative ironwork gates.